One of the biggest shortcomings of today’s Christian
believer is how similar they are to the world around them. Both believers and unbelievers suffer the
same set of conditions in the world, some good, and some not. But today’s Christian is hardly
distinguishable from the non-believer in terms of their responses to the
situations life presents. The core of
the reason for this problem is the interjection of “self” into the Christian
religion. Christians focus on “self” to
find the will to resist temptation, overcome their own sins, and share the
gospel with others – pointing out to them all the faults the Bible helps
plainly identify. They assume this to be
their Christian duty. It is not. Neither is the gospel, the Gospel, when self
lies at its core.
The entire concept of Christians gaining control over their
own impulses, or over their periodic temptations is an illusion inspired by
focusing on self as the means to the end – rather than on Christ who alone can
achieve these goals. “Control” is itself
a fantasy. The only being that could
possibly exert control is God, and then only when we get out of the way and
allow Him to do so. But denying God
control over our lives does not mean we take it back. It means we default control to another being
who remains our sworn enemy. But the
humans who most easily understand their lack of control, and do not seem to
mind at all, are children.
Children have no need of control, as everything in their
world is taken care of for them … nothing but upside really. When we relinquish our perceived control over
to God for Him to implement His will in our lives, we are freed from all the
stress, anguish, and exhaustion that comes from trying so hard to be the good
parent, the responsible adult, the failing prodigal. God becomes our parent. It is He who takes care to make sure we eat. It is He who takes care to make sure we have
cloths to wear, shelter from the elements, and protection from the enemy. Who better to provide for every one of our
needs than our own Father God?
Do children stress out over these very real and very present
needs? No. Generally, they are too busy playing and
having fun. Children are free to laugh,
play, and enjoy the friendship of the Lord.
Children find joy in discovery.
Children find joy in sharing with their playmates, inventing games,
talking with each other, hanging out.
Children don’t stress about unemployment, recessions, homelessness, or
starvation – at least the children who are being provided for. And with the Lord as your parent, can you not
be the child who becomes free from all these worries as well?
Think about it – you do NOT control your career. You can send out 10 thousand resumes and
never get a hit. You can interview
hundreds of time and rejected every single time. You can be demoted. You can be fired. You can lose your benefits, your pay, your
insurance – at the drop of a hat. Your
company can go out of business, through no fault of your own. All these things can happen to you without
any control on your part. So do you
blame God for them when they do? I
wonder, when the converse happens, do you believe you are any more in control
than when catastrophe strikes? When you
get a raise, a promotion, a new job at a new firm – do you take the credit for
your outstanding work efforts, your skills, prowess, political ability, or task
performance? Why? It is no more you in control when the good
things happen, than you in control when trouble comes your way.
But children do not concern themselves with these
things. So why should you? Be free from it all. Trust in your Father, that He will provide
you with what you need to survive. He
will cause a job to come your way. He
will guide you on the job. He will
insure your success, and your downfalls, according to the larger needs of your
life – according to what is truly important, beyond mere financial success, to
spiritual success. But start by learning
to let it all go, like a child, and trust your Dad, your Heavenly based Dad.
Once you work, you eat, you tend to find shelter and
clothing. The discipline of work keeps
your hands busy and your mind from becoming idle. But children do not live to work. Neither do they live to play. They live to love. And they are much more able than their adult
counterparts to remember that love means more than work, play, or even
eating. Children sacrifice themselves
for love. They will give their food to a
hungry pet because they love them. They
will give away their favorite toys, for love.
They hold nothing back, because nothing is held from them.
This is what your Father in Heaven died literally to give to
you. He wants to take care of your every
need, your every desire, and shield you from every pain. This is the continued good news of Salvation,
it is the gift basis it comes in. It
requires nothing of you. Your “self” can
safely die and in its place can be born a servant’s heart. Instead of trying so hard to master your own
destiny, experience the freedom of becoming a child whose destiny lies in the
loving hands of a Heavenly parent who is fully capable of insuring we reach
it. It is not up to us what we become,
it is up to God. All we need to do, is
get out of the way, and allow Him to lead us there.
There is nothing but upside when God is allowed the control
over our wills. This is a daily
surrender with phenomenal results. And
change is not only possible like this, it is IMPOSSIBLE to resist. It is real, current, and happens. You will become a new person. And in so doing you will look less and less
like your counterparts in the world around you.
You may experience the same situations they encounter, but your
responses will be completely different.
Your attitudes completely stress free.
The difference is that God has become REAL to you. Not just a collection of stories in a Bible
you read about other people’s relationships with Him – No – He becomes REAL to
you. It is the birth of a personal
salvation you are experiencing.
An end to the sin you have struggled so hard and so long to
overcome; now it simply melts away from you; unburdening your heart from the
stress, guilt, and painful cycles you have been bound to. It simply goes away. Your desires begin to become purified. Your thoughts begin to be lifted from the
mire and dirt of this world to the sublime peace of the next one. Your love begins to intensify in a way you
could otherwise not have ever experienced.
These are the differences the world longs to know. These are the true reasons the gospel spread
all over the world, not be an albatross around the necks of the guilty – but to
be the key that unlocks the chains of sin that have so long bound the world to
its pain. This is the gospel in its
simplicity and its power.
I have found the freedom of letting it all go to the
Lord. I am far from perfect, and would
class myself as chief among sinners, but now I see more than a hope for the end
of sin, I am experiencing the reality of it.
Though not yet fully employed again, I am not stressing out over it at
all. I have embraced the peace of
trusting to God’s greater will, my employment will come from Him, where and
when and for who He decides. I will have
no credit in it, as I have no control over it.
It is humbling to be completely dependent on God, but more so it is
completely liberating. I serve no
abstract God. My God is real. And I pray my life will be a testimony to the
reality of His goodness. For now I go
back to playing till Dad calls me up again …
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