I grew up with rules. Lots of rules. Don’t eat this. Don’t say those words. Don’t think this. And on and on. A good Christian family. And I’m not sure the rules growing up were all bad- I’m not sure how to teach heart to my own kids!
The Bible says, “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV)
I wonder if sometimes my spiritual experience was similar to this… A form of spirituality, but denying the power that God could actually do anything in my life to change it - so we talked more and more about what we were supposed to do and not do and hoped that we could change.
However, the power of change is not within US! The power of change is - according to Jesus - is in Him! Could it be that we are simply missing it all when we focus on the guilt and trying to convince ourselves that we are supposed to do something else to “be good enough!”
In the book Irresistable Revolution, pg 269 it says, ”
Growing up, I was told that good people go to church. And then I looked around and watched the news and found a church full of sick people and a world that had some decent pagans. And I studied sociology. My studies taught me that the higher a person’s frequency of church attendance, the more likely they are to be sexist, racist, anti-gay, pro-military, and committed to their local church. And I figured if that’s what it means to be a Christian, I wasn’t sure I wanted to be one, or whether even Jesus would want to be one, for that matter. I wondered why Jesus didn’t take back his religion. As I’ve heard my old mentor Tony Campolo say, “If we were to set out to establish a religion in polar opposition to the Beatitudes Jesus taught, it would look strikingly similar to the pop Christianity that has taken over the airwaves of North America.”
The only solution I can see is if we finally grab a hold of two foundational doctrines of Jesus - confession and repentance.
To confess our problem - I have a problem, I can’t do it, I can’t fix this stuff. I put on religion like a jacket, but in the end I’m just as messed up as my neighbors; I’m just as selfish as the people I’ve looked down on - and I can’t deal with it any longer! I choose authenticity - admitting my problems!
To repent - to turn away - to turn to the only One who can do a stinking thing to help us - the Almighty God - Lover of the Universe, and Champion of Lost Causes.
Oh, Mighty Jesus, change us… Make us a trophy to the universe that You can change lives.
It is so hard as human beings to allow God to mold us to be loving, caring, sorrowful individuals and knowing that it is in our nature to sin hurts … both us and Him!
But confession and repentance, has opened doors to God that I never ever knew existed. Being able to take off the robe of sin and be transparent to God is huge. It’s a wonderful experience but also one that doesn’t come easy. I need to be faithful to God, in all ways … which then reflects in my actions as a human being His love to others.
I am not perfect, I am not always faithful to God but when I am, I so feel His presence. I WANT to be faithful to him every minute of every day; oh God, do I ever!
So, I’m trying to create habits in Him. Reading my bible is a big barrier for me … but when I make it a habit to be in His word everyday … it’s second nature. Confessing to my husband that I had a bad day and that’s why I yelled at him. Telling him that I’m sorry, repenting and asking for forgiveness also needs to become a habit … not the yelling part but the confession and repentence part.
That’s all for now … I love God and want to please Him in all that I do … ALL that I do!
Heidi
(it says Brian up top but it’s really me, Heidi)