So I’ve finally finished reading C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity. Again, if you haven’t read that book or haven’t read it in a while please consider picking it up, or repicking it up as it may be. Either way, this book has been challenging and enlightening for me. The beginning of the book discusses the validity of Christ and whether or not He could be a Savior and God. The latter part of the book starts to challenge maybe some of the ideas of Christianity that I know I had and perhaps you have too. Things that made me reevaluate my Christian walk and my life as a “Christian.” It has been really good for me and again I encourage you to read it. If you want a copy please contact me and I may be able to help you out.
Anyhow, a few things kind stuck out to me in the last few chapters and it’s something I wanted to do a short blog about. First there is the idea that Christianity a fix to your problems. Perhaps, but as C.S. Lewis explains, it goes beyond the problems we see. The thing is, when we ask God to change us, He is not looking to just change the things we know are wrong. When we ask for Him and seek Him, He is going to shake our world. C.S. Lewis uses the analogy of a house. He moves in and fixes the immediate issues. He stops the dripping pipes and leaking roof and all the things we saw were bad, but He doesn’t stop there. He starts making renovations. These are, often, not easy things and we can’t not see exactly what He is doing. We see this cottage we think should be there, but He is creating a palace to live in. It doesn’t make sense to us, but He sees it. This has been what has started happening in my life over the past almost year now. He has come in and stopped all the things that I knew were wrong, but then He went beyond. He started making me uncomfortable. I didn’t mind the things I knew were wrong and I thought I was good then. However, He broke my heart, that didn’t seem to necessary. It was, however, exactly what was necessary to teach my things I didn’t know I needed to learn. Another example from my personal life is this whole job situation. I think I have enough patience, yet here God is testing my patience and growing it. It’s uncomfortable and at times it sucks a lot. But I have to trust that He knows what he’s doing. It’s been tough but an incredible blessing to see God changing me in places and growing me in ways I didn’t know where necessary or needed changing. I am so in love with a God who is willing to break me at times to grow me into what I need to be.
It was also interesting in the last few chapters where Lewis talks about blessings. One things Jesus said was, and I am paraphrasing, that it is harder for a richer man to get into heaven than for camel to go through the eye of a needle. Well that’s not problem, cuz I’m definitely not rich. However, Lewis goes on to explain that it can be riches in other areas of your life. For me, I have an amazing family who I love. I’ve grown up in a good environment and even had a Christian up bringing. This whole Christianity thing should be a cake walk. However, it has been far from that and for many years I was far from the example of a Christian man. So God allowed me to make some horrible mistakes and do a lot of stupid things. He allowed me to make myself much poorer than I was in that area in order to be able to see my need to seek and desire Him. How awesome is a God that knows me that well! Just amazing.
Well, like I said before, you should read or reread Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. It has been an awesome book for me. Whether you are a “new” Christian, “old” Christian, or non-Christian, it’s worth picking up. And as always, please contact me with any questions, comments or concerns. My e-mail address is optimisticprime15@gmail.com. And let me know if you want a copy of Mere Christianity and I will do my best to help you out.
With love always,
Optimisticprime
