For instance, I am amazed by the way they manage to find blessing in distress. There is great need in distress, but perhaps the pure recognition of "need" is a blessing. The pressure of relying on one's self is not even an option. For so many other cultures, this seems to be a given. But, I find that for me and many others, as an American, we have somehow lost the ability to recognize the blessing in need. As if, "having stuff" numbs the reality of our greatest needs.
During the past two weeks- for the first time in my life- I seem to have begun to understand the detriment of self-reliance- especially with regards to my faith. For instance, the following statements pertaining to living as a Christian are all statements beginning with "I:"
- I need to...
- I should...
- I shouldn't...
They are statements of behavior modification which place the responsibility on the Christian- not Christ. As a result, the above statements negate the very miraculous thing which Christians profess Christ has accomplished for us.
The Christian believes:"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life that I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal 2:20
"...My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." II Cor 12:9
"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws." Ezekiel 36: 25-27
If these statements are true, it is not a matter of I, Jody, doing or not doing or needing or performing anything to be a Christian, to be loved by Christ. I am not the focus of the Christian life- Christ is the focus. "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil 2:13).
I no longer need to love others well (a noble Christian act). I no longer need to forgive or surrender or give or sacrifice (all noble actions of a Christian). I no longer need to live FOR Christ!
The beauty, the miracle, the perfection of the Christian life is that no one need live for Christ. That would suggest He needs us, that the Creator needs the creation. Rather, as one who trusts that Christ has given me a righteousness that I couldn't accomplish on my own, and who has accepted the gift of His Spirit, He only asks that I live FROM him.
I am beginning to believe that one of the greatest, most damning tragedies in history is the misunderstanding of this truth.
Personally, I have exhausted myself living for him, always trying to do more and to do it better. Yet the Bible continually speaks about the Christian life being a life of rest and peace. Let's be honest- anyone trying to live for God will never be at rest. Well, we may take a sabbatical or a long weekend... However, until we recognize that God never intended for us to do His work for him, we will never experience the freedom for which Christ gave his life.
And, for my dear friends who have not trusted Christ- I can only apologize that we Christians have not rightly represented what he offers.
Trusting Christ is not "asking Jesus to forgive your sins." Rather, it's trusting that through the cross He already has. Then, it's continuing to learn to lean into him to finish what he starts in your life.
Behavior modification is so B.C. Don't sell short what Jesus has done by focusing on what you need to give up. Lean into him and as I can attest, your desires will naturally begin to look more like his- not by force of changed behavior.
It has taken me 29 years to realize this truth. I have been a performing Christian for most of my life. I can't express how much I am looking forward to the next 29 years as a free Christian.
Recommended Reading: (I have not gotten through all of these yet...)
Grace Walk by Steve McVey
Abba's Child by Brennan Manning
The Rest of the Gospel by Greg Smith
Posts
1 comment:
Thanks for writing. Your insight is so helpful especially in a season of life when I feel like all I'm doing is "working for" instead of leaning in to allow God to work in me.
Post a Comment