Okay, so the title gives off this ring of being a downer, but just stay with me for a moment. Our life is well, crazy. Maybe a better word should be messy. I think that is why so many times we, meaning you, me, even Joe the Plumber, plan out our lives to go in one direction and when it doesn't happen we start stomping our feet.
As Christians, we tend to do this, "sure Lord I surrender my future to you. As if this future is this far off lofty idea. Well, what about today? Are we surrendering today, this hour, this moment? To be honest, as of late, I pretty much have come up short on that. Oh, sure when I'm praying I say things like use me today as you will Lord. Let me be flexible. And those are good things to say, I'm sure. But when I'm actually conversing with God and not just checking in for my spiritual refill, my heart is telling God you can have my long term goals, but my short term goals and desires, those are mine.
I think this is common. We come up with these perfect scenarios in our brain of how our life is going to pan out. Almost like a movie or a great book. And why not? When we watch a movie or read we get to do something that we can't do in reality-- Know the ending of the story. Everyday we are filled with new decisions, consequences from previous decisions, the ugliness of sin clashing against another sinner, mixed right in there with the joys and thrills of life.
So yes, if we continue to try to plan out and lead our own lives in this demanding spirit than we are going to be disappointed. It is not going to happen our way. Because truth is its not about our way. Its not about us. Or more pointedly, its simply not about me.
Remember how in James 4 it speaks of submitting ourselves to God and later on boasting about tomorrow? I think James hit it on the nose in chapter 4 verse 13-17
"Now listen, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, If it is the Lords will, we will live and do this or that. As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
So life is disappointing... when its about me. However, the good news is when its about Christ there is freedom. That doesn't mean that a life with Christ is not hard or will not cause great pain and suffering. Sorry, but just take a look at the guys that hung out with Christ. Most of them were killed. But were they disappointed? I would have to wonder if they felt that the only disappointing thing was that their time was cut short of sharing who the Messiah truly was.
What are your thoughts? I might be off base theologically and would welcome and ask for guidance back to the biblical interpretations.
Jen
*Occassionally there will be post marked with an *. One of my aunts is part of a group of people that take turn bloging certain topics. If you see an * it means that post is in relation to the question. Please feel free to read and respond. Actually response is nice in order to see what others are thinking and processing. And I am the first to admit that I am a layman (or simply a lame woman : 0) ) and do NOT have all the answers. Just day to day living with Christ.
2 comments:
If you don't live in Christ today then all of the prayers that you have prayed about your future are really just nice thoughts which will never manifest. It comes down to control, we want to have it and the only way we can see ourselves attaining it is by looking ahead. Really it makes no sense as the future is a result of the now so if we really wanted the future we dream of we would focus on the now and the future would be a natural bi-product of our daily focus on Christ.
Your words ring true, although they are hard to swallow as I am the worst sinner I know (Paul was so right).
Your post hit me right between the eyes, and it was first thing in the morning when I read it too. (I just took forever to post a comment). While we look forward to the future and make plans and set goals, you made a good point. It's not up to us if we even HAVE a future.
When we live in the past, we live enslaved to the encumbrances that are keeping us there. When we live solely in the future we are living on something that's not even promised.
If we do not walk with Christ today, then we take the risk of not being in his steps in the future.
This was an awesome post! I look forward to blogging with you more, and I can't wait to find out what the next topic is!
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