God has, I think, been doing work in my life and stirring in my spirit. I think it is because I have been slipping into a state of complacency. Since I spent time with my college church in Virginia at something called LT, I have been unable to be merely a Christian who is going to church and that's it. I think part of it to is God has been putting a lot of sermons into my life about works. This has been a kind of tough topic for me to face. To explain you need some background though.
Growing up, I attended a church whose denomination is, at least partially, a works based religion. That church has since done some cool things. and I'm excited about where God is taking some of the leadership. Anyhow, because of that "doing things to get to heaven" part of church was part of my Christian walk. One I really began to grow in Christ and find grace, I jumped to the other spectrum, and didn't want to do anything because of God's grace.
In the past few months, time and time again, God has been bringing scripture, sermons, people, emphasizing not only the need for grace but for works. This has been a struggle and something I think I have fought against. One of my older, wiser brothers summed up his thoughts on this. It has to be a balance we do. We probably will never be in the right balance, but swinging like a pendulum on either side of the line. We should be seeking to make that swing as little as possible. And, more importantly, have grace for those who are on the other side of that line from us. After all, our goal as the body of Christ is not to be various types of Christians with so many various theologies and fighting and screaming and yelling. Our goal is to be united under Christ, have grace in the things Christ didn't specifically describe, and not seek to be "a better Christian" but simply be Christ to a world who doesn't know Christ. This is incredibly important in the light of hateful group who claim Christianity to seek to be Christ in people's lives...but that may be for another, and I am getting way off topic.
So I have for so long seen how God's grace covers such a multitude of things in our life. I used it as an excuse not to do anything. At it's true, we don't need to do anything to gain God's favor. Reading my Bible won't get my into Heaven. Going to church won't get my into Heaven. Memorizing scripture won't get my into Heaven. But how often does Christ call us to do things. We are to known truths. We are to love others. We are to go out and make disciples.
So this battle ensues within me. What does Christianity mean. Every decision we make is doing one of two things. It is either taking our focus to Christ or away. Reading my Bible won't get me to Heaven, but that decision to do that or not to do that is taking me towards Christ or away from Him. It's also either going to help us love others better to nothing at all if we choose not to do it. Those are basic examples. But I think it helps to illustrate this battle going on in my heart and head. This, in turn leads to the battle between my flesh and Christ. Because my flesh would much rather be satisfied then to seek God.
This battle has brought back this discontent within my soul of simply living and going to church and allowing those to be disassociated with each other. Recently I was talking to a pastor I admire, and he reminded me, that Christianity should infiltrate every aspect of our lives. My heart is realizing that I am returning to a complacent life of going to church and leaving there and everything I learned at the door. Every aspect of our lives should be missional. Every moment is an opportunity to exemplify Christ to whoever is around it. I, admittedly, do poorly most days. I hope, however, it is a work in progress.
My challenge to you is to search your own heart. Which swing of the pendulum are you? Are you relying on grace alone and not seeking Christ and choosing ways to grow closer to Him? Are you relying on what you can do only to be able to earn that grace? How have you been treating those Christians who don't necessarily agree with you? Are you Christ to those you come in contact with? I struggle with these moment by moment. I hope they challenge you as much as they challenge me.
As always, feel free to comment or email me at Optimisticprime15@gmail.com. And please tell me if there is anything you disagree with me or would like me to further explain my thoughts on. If there is something you would like me to pray for, I would love to pray for you so please drop me a line and let me know how I can do that.
I love you all and there is nothing you can do about it.
And now for something...completely different.
So it has been entirely to long since I have done any writing or acknowledged life outside of work, church, and my wife. Which can be a good thing. Lately, however, I have been getting the urge/drive to create and to share my thoughts with the world. I have tossed around a few ideas, and decided that my blog had been gathering some dust. I decided this is a good place to start. I have also tossed about the idea of doing a podcast with my brother, but that has yet to go anywhere. That is, in a nut shell, my state of the bloggosphere speech. Any feed back on anything I have done of have thoughts about doing, or things I haven't even told you yet, you are welcome to. Thank you to those who have taken the time to read my random thoughts on life and various issues throughout the year or however long its been.
