Author Larry Crabb reflects upon a time when he was struggling to know what to do with a rebellious son. He finally screamed at God, Tell me what to do and I'll do it! Just tell me what to do!
Like Larry, we simply want instructions, directions, or a steady combination of the two. Yet, clarity isn't readily available if it is the flesh making these demands. We want to do life without the headache. Such clearly is not the pattern of Jesus.
The very reason faith is called faith is that one cannot see the way. We go by faith and not by what we can see; insisted the apostle Paul. Still we want what we want and if a lot of others (like a majority) want the same thing then it seems rational that this is what should be. One of the things we should have learned long ago is that God does not operate according to majority agenda.
Therefore, there is a strong strain to faith. It isn't easy. Neither is it comfortable.
Faith will take us places the eyes of rationality and clarity dare not/cannot tread. This blatantly affects our every effort of Kingdom activity. Do we like our worship because we love God deeply and want Him to hear our yearning for Him? Or do we/must we have the right lighting, the right singing, the right proclaiming lest we find it hard to get on board?
We churches are in danger of trying to be found appealing to the demands of consumerism rather than to be found lost in praise to God. It isn't that we are deceitful. It's just that the flesh clearly desires to override the spirit. It is a war....within each of us.
I think this is correct that faith never tells us where we are going but believes God will lead us as to where to go. Our problems of discontent arise when we trade our connection with Him for control of our own destiny. Faith can be scary. Control is usually full of misery.
There is an appropriate strain to faith. It is the workout gym of yielding, submitting, trusting God.
Fleshly talent insists that we are smart enough on our own to do this. Give me enough tools, studies, and reports plus the latest analysis; things should go as planned.
Faith, though, can't see the forest or the trees.
It can only trust that God who let the only perfect man die in torture, and then stun the world forevermore with his resurrection, can make sense out of imperfect people whose love for Him insists upon finding His driving hope.
The foolishness of God will always throw the wisdom of the world into a tizzy....
I Corinthians 1:18-31.
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