WHY ARE WE SO AFRAID TO CUT LOOSE AND LIVE?

The subtle rigors of walking upon earth bind us, bind all of us, in ways which we mostly do not detect.  Yet, we are unconscious to our missing out.  We could even be found to be quite prideful of our limitations; unaware, but nonetheless limited.

Whether it be relational, political, or financial, ideas which would offer both improvement and progress await.  Some tap into this mountain range containing buried gold.  Others of us outsmart ourselves by believing we have conquered understanding.  But...in reality...we haven't.

Of course, I'm leading up to a discussion about the spiritual realm.  This field is of great interest to so many including me.  When I entered this zone, I was not prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.  I thought you read your Bible, offer a prayer here and there, and do your best to keep a strong attendance record at the local church.

I didn't know there would be more...much more...lots more.

Church is not a group of people who go through the week dispensing little godlet sayings of affirmation...or correction.  No.  It is a group of faithers learning to toss down the stones of criticisms toward others.  It is an entirely new world; but it does (admittedly) tend to look old.

So what's new?

Faith in God will break the human code of limitations.  Impossible yields to possibility. What can't work; does.  God will never be cornered by human discovery nor will He be subject to our church-invented systems.  God will always be God and we will always find a calling of submission to His glory.

Truth be told, in church we bring in the relational, the political, and the financial rigidity.  Add to that the spiritual hunt for Truth.  Restriction from discovery comes about due to our ever-absolute insistence that our ten or twelve concepts are right and we will defend them to the grave.  In this we miss out on the wonder of the Creator as we order Him to scoot over so we might man or woman the ship.

American churches are in a fierce power struggle with the God who created us.  Our belief system has been taken captive by our individual favoritism toward a relative's religious bent or a personal hang-up or even a church label.  We are closed to God's interactive hand because we parade extreme bias...and then spend our lives defending ourselves in the name of God's will.

Why are we so afraid to cut loose and live?  We are afraid because we insist we are right and some will die in this biggest error of all.  We are afraid to learn about God because of what others will think about us.  We sat with those friends and together we mocked the ignorance of the religious.  This is sheer cowardice.

Finally, I think we are afraid to cut loose and live because of our age.  Believing ourselves to be wise, in reality we are stuck; formed by a host of misconceptions that bore no joy, peace, or hope.

I'm still in the process of learning.  Yes, criticism comes my way for not holding to the ten or twelve claims that supposedly made us who we are.  But we are to be one thing; God's.  It takes more than attendance plus rigid doctrine to please God.  It takes bold moves of stepping out on the waters of the unknown trusting that God will supply the information as well as the support to carry us through.