Here's something else that has always bothered me
Christian people love talking about God's provision. They like talking about trust and faith even more. Often, I feel like no one really has a clue what they're talking about. It seems to me that no matter what happens, Christians always talk about "trusting in God" and "having faith". In fact, I was just told the other day, after I was destroyed by my biomechanics midterm, "Just trust in God Alysa, it will be ok".
It will be ok. Implying that every single situation is going to be ok for you, is going to turn out alright for you, no matter what happens, because it's what God wanted anyway. We cling to this when bad times come, we try to remember that God fights for us, and is going to come through, and is going to rescue us. We remind ourselves that if we "trust in Him" (do we understand what that means?) and have faith (like you can posses it? Or is faith a heart determination?) then it will "be ok".
I have to go research hip dysplasia (fascinating, I promise), and can't really finish this thought. But it seems to me that we've deadlocked God into a situation where He can't lose in our eyes. If things are awesome, praise God He came through. If things suck, praise God He's changing your direction. If things work out, praise God He rescued you from your situation. If things don't work out, praise God He wanted you somewhere else. I'm ok with admitting God's ways are above my own, I'm ok with surrendering that I will never be able to fully comprehend the actions and choices of God. I don't want to understand God, because then He wouldn't be my God. He'd just be one more entity conquered, boxed, and put on a shelf.
But I do want to be sure that when I say "This happened and I have no idea why, but I believe God knew it was going to happen and is still going to work all things to my good and His glory" That I mean it. I don't want that to be my catch phrase because I don't know what else to do. I don't want to just say it because I don't know what else to say and I just err to the Christian answer side of things.
Where is our plumb line? Where are we sure that we are not just using God as an excuse to make ourselves feel better and comforted when bad times hit and we don't know what else to do? Where can we be sure that our faith is the kind that moves mountains, and our assurance is steadfast, and know that we are not just rolling along with the comfortable tide of believing something because we are too afraid to sincerely question it?
Results will build/topple faith.
ReplyDeleteFear prevents it from toppling.
This is pretty profound, Alysa!
ReplyDeleteIt's true; sometimes when we don't know what else to do or what to say to other people, the default "faith statement" is: Trust God, and no matter what happens it's for His glory and our best.
I think it stops becoming a catch phrase when we actually experience peace in the risks and uncertainties of following Christ. When we KNOW Him intimately, have a faith history, and KNOW the works of His hands in our lives, is when it becomes real to us. Then we can REALLY encourage other who are celebrating or mourning.