Choosing to Recognize the Problem
I remember the first time I ever stole something. I was six or seven years old, and I walked out of a store with a candy bar in my pocket. When I didn’t get caught and nothing bad happened to me, I was surprised. As a child I then decided it wasn’t really wrong to take something from someone when you wanted it more than they did. A few years later, however, when my bike was stolen I changed my mind. There was something really messed up about the world when people could actually steal from me.
I was on to something. Every philosophy and religion recognize there is something fundamentally wrong with the world. Most, however, disagree on what the fundamental problem is. What exactly is the root of human dysfunction? It’s all around us. Even a child can see it.
The word “sin” carries varying definitions and innuendo depending on who uses it. To some, it might mean socially unacceptable behavior, while to others it could be nothing more than a mistake or a weakness. Still others see it as a silly or overly-restrictive, outdated concept that shouldn’t be taken seriously; after all, we have evolved beyond the need for such primitive explanations of the human situation.
And then there are those who choose to see sin as having nothing to do with morality but rather understand it to describe an ontological problem: physicality is what’s wrong with the world. If we could find a way to shed our corporeal entanglements and escape to a more pure spiritual state of being, then we would experience “salvation”. Sin or evil, in this way of thinking, is nothing more than being stuck in a material world.
But, how do these varying perspectives account for a world that so easily justifies stealing candy bars and bicycles and much worse?
Cut off from God
The Christian faith has always taught that “the problem” is related to human choices. It’s a moral issue. It manifests as rebellion against divine order. Instead of submitting to God’s rulership, we are driven to operate as individual masters of our own kingdoms. We’ve chosen to do things our way, separate from our Creator’s intentions and instructions. And it has disrupted and twisted everything.
The problem isn’t always immediately recognizable in ourselves because it’s an accumulation of all the little choices to do life without God. It is ultimately rooted in our alienation from all that God is, a heritage going back to our very first ancestors. We were designed to live in close, intimate connection with Him. But long ago in a garden, the choice to defiantly take one bite from a piece of fruit (Genesis 3) started an avalanche that carried all humanity out of God’s presence. The result is a spiritual and moral infection that has tainted with deadly consequences all that was created good. And that’s what the Bible calls sin.
Sin: Making Our Own Rules
The Apostle John defines sin quite bluntly: “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4 ESV). Lawlessness here is not referring to specific acts such as exceeding the speed limit while driving or stretching the truth while telling a story or even committing murder. It’s describing a way of walking through life with the understanding that I am the one who sets the rules for myself; there is no legitimate authority outside of me to which I must bow.
Thus sin, according to John, is a lifestyle of following ‘my own feeling of what’s right’ as the ultimate guide to living. I need not submit to boundaries that others put on me. And of course all rules are “manmade” and culturally bound and therefore suspect or corrupt. A god of love, after all, would never expect me to do something I don’t feel good about. I must be true to myself.
All sin flows out of this resistance to authority that’s outside my own understanding and feelings.
What to do about sin?
While many only see a need for self-improvement, stronger will-power or a way to rid themselves of guilty feelings, for a Jesus follower sin must be addressed directly and honestly. The first step is to choose to confess it as a genuine problem (1 John 1:9). This is difficult in our present culture, since actualizing the self has become the way many define what is ultimately good. This is practically lived out as, “I am my own law; I am my own god.” To deal with sin God’s way, we must acknowledge that our drive toward lawlessness (resisting His wise and loving authority) is real and that it has corrupted and continues to corrupt our lives and the world. It has resulted in alienation from God Himself and His intended purpose for the world (Romans 1:21-32).
We then have to choose how we’re going to respond to it. Ignore our lawless impulse? Embrace it as a misunderstood natural part of who we really are? Or, as the Bible calls us, to hate it and turn from it (Romans 6:12-13). But, as anyone who has ever tried to turn away from sin knows, to do so feels unnatural. It cannot be accomplished merely with a little more will power (Romans 7:21-24).
Humility is the next ingredient needed. We must acknowledge that we have hurt God in our lawless state and we cannot fix ourselves; a power from the outside is needed to break the grip it has on us, lift us up and resolve the consequences of our lawlessness (1 Peter 5:6).
And this is where faith comes in. We must dare to believe that Jesus’ suffering on the cross accomplished what God says it was meant to accomplish: yours and my release from our lawless state of being (Colossians 1:13, 14, 22). It doesn’t matter necessarily that we fully understand how Jesus’ atonement works. We simply choose to humbly accept our need for an outside Rescuer, and finally submit ourselves to do life God’s way and with His help.
The Choices Cannot be Avoided
A follower of Jesus cannot ignore sin. And even for a committed disciple, sin can be subtle, deceptive and always corruptive. We must learn to hate the tendency in ourselves to be our own rule-makers. It’s often easier to settle on merely hating it in others.
In some of the upcoming posts we will look at what have traditionally been understood as the cardinal sins. These are the core ones we share in common with all humans and from which all other sins spin off. From them our rebellion, brokenness and lawless habits spring, and we must choose what we’re going to do with each one that’s at work in our lives. There are seven of them. Taking them seriously is a first step in getting at the root of humanity’s dysfunction and experiencing true redemption for ourselves as individuals and for the world.
Sin is the problem. It has cut us off from God. Are you ready to call it what it is and deal with it God’s way?
Response
- What’s my definition of sin?
- In what ways do I still live as if I am my own rule-maker?
- What is my reaction to being told by an outside voice what’s right and what’s wrong for my life?
- What would it take for me to admit that I am sinful?
- Jesus, what do you want to show me about my sin that has separated me from God?
Choosing to Let Go
My stomach muscles tightened as I sat in the YWAM class and admitted to myself that I hated those kids. Before we joined Youth With A Mission (YWAM), I had taught English to middle schoolers at a California public school. My first three years were plagued by 13 and 14 year olds determined to make them my last. Carefully crafted lesson plans were daily sabotaged with rudeness and immature antics that targeted my insecurities. I didn’t know how to handle it, and my anger and stress reached new heights. So, when the YWAM teacher asked me who I had not yet forgiven, guess who popped into my mind? Ugh! Do I really need to forgive them? It’s in the past. I’m a nice guy. I don’t hate anybody. . . Do I?
What is Forgiveness?
Even “nice” people hold on to offenses and keep them for a lifetime. Acts of betrayal, abuse, violence all the way down to disappointments and unmet expectations feel as if they have Velcro on them. Actually, it’s not that they stick to us but that we grip them so tightly. It’s as if we think we can strangle the hurt if we just hold on long enough. Bad news: that doesn’t work. The longer I cling to any level of offense, the more it becomes a part of me, even seeping into my identity as it plants its poison. And the long-term results are not pretty.
To forgive, simply put, is to let go. I don’t release my offense against others necessarily for their sake. It’s so I can be free. For me to be able to hear God clearly (read Choosing to Hear God on His Terms), love others and experience God’s forgiveness for all the stuff I’ve done, I must choose to let go!
A Scary Story
When Peter talked to Jesus about how often he should forgive someone who sinned against him, he proposed seven times to surely be enough. Jesus responded with a play on Peter’s words saying, “No, seventy times seven.” He then told a parable known as The Unforgiving Servant that, rightly understood, should send shivers of dread down our spines (Matthew 18:21-35).
A man who is mercifully forgiven a debt of millions of dollars he owes to a king immediately goes out and takes a colleague to court to make him pay back a loan of a few thousand dollars. When the king hears about it, he reinstates the debt onto the unforgiving man, turning him over to the jailers to be tormented. And then Jesus says some chilling words, “That’s what my Heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from you hearts” (Matthew 18:35 NLT). In other words, God’s forgiveness is tied to how you forgive those who do bad and irritating stuff. If you don’t forgive, you’re going to live at some level of torment because that’s where unforgiveness takes us.
I don’t know about you, but I desperately need God’s forgiveness and don’t need anymore torment in my life. To think there is something that we can fail to do that would erase His merciful act of blotting out our sins should sober us. Especially when we consider how easy it is for us to justify not forgiving some of the jerks we have to work or live with. Forgiving those who hurt or offend us is not a side issue in our faith. It’s a fundamental response to receiving God’s love. It’s the Gospel lived out.
So, Why is it So Hard?
Most people agree that forgiving others is a good thing, that is until it’s personal. I will often hear responses like, “You don’t understand what this person did to me.” Or, “This person doesn’t deserve to be forgiven.” Both statements are usually true. Forgiveness is an intensely personal choice that drills down to the deepest parts of our souls and challenges us to imitate God, which is one reason why it’s so important to Him. It opens us up so the bitter poison we’re carrying in our chests can be drained out. It’s for us, our freedom, our healing, our ability to move forward with our lives. It’s not about the other person’s worthiness or even for their sake. They need never know we have forgiven them.
So why then do we stop short of letting go? Part of the answer is that many of us still have misconceptions about what it is. Here’s a few things forgiveness is not:
- It’s not a feeling. I’ve heard a friend say over and over, “If you wait till you feel like forgiving someone, you’ll never do it.” Forgiveness is a choice. It’s an act of your will to do what is right. You may or may not feel differently immediately after you choose to forgive. But eventually your feelings will catch up to your decision.
- It’s not forgetting what happened. You can never really forget what’s done against you. But you can live in a way that it does not control your decisions, your behavior or your future.
- It’s not saying what the other person did was okay or doesn’t matter. You’re not denying the crime or offense. You’re simply saying, I’m putting it in God’s hands and choosing to not hold on to it anymore.
- It’s not saying you have to trust the person again. Your forgiveness does not make the other person trustworthy. If there is ever trust again between you and the offender, it will have to be earned by changes in their behavior. But in the mean time, you can be free.
Two Categories of Forgiveness
The most difficult thing you may ever be asked to do is to forgive someone who has betrayed or inflicted some kind of trauma on you. Choosing to forgive that one huge thing or the series of huge things done against you is the doorway to most kinds of inner healing. You may need a trusted friend to help you walk it through. But though it’s painfully difficult, it will change you and set you on a pathway that allows you to grow and not stay stuck.
Another category of forgiveness comes into play as we face the daily offenses and hurts of interacting with people. The cutting tone in your coworker’s voice, the disrespectful or thoughtless comments from your spouse, the offensive behavior of students in your classroom. I use to deal with this stuff by putting on my nice-guy face and just smiling. But the sting didn’t go away. I merely dropped each infraction into the offense sack hung around my neck. Unfortunately, that bag would eventually reach capacity and explode. Repressed hurt and anger would spray over whoever happened to be there. I then became the offender.
Learning to simply forgive and release even the tiniest offense when it happens revolutionized my life. Forgiveness must become a lifestyle for Jesus followers. It’s one way we walk in daily freedom, not controlled by the irritants and negativity that bombards us. I refuse to hold on to them anymore, even for a minute.
I’ve come a long way since that day I forgave those middle-school students. Forgiveness is now a central theme in almost any advice I give those who are dealing with past hurts. It was hard for me to admit that I had allowed hatred and bitterness to build a home in my heart. But that’s exactly what had happened. Speaking to each one of those kids by name as if they were in front of me and telling them I was letting them and their bad behavior go changed everything. My hands were empty. The perpetrators were released into God’s hands. I was forgiven for my vengeful heart. And best of all, I was free!
Response
- What keeps me from forgiving those who hurt me? What’s the misconception of forgiveness that I’m stumbling over?
- What’s the huge thing that I have still not dealt with? What is Jesus saying to me about it?
- What’s keeping me from making forgiveness part of my lifestyle?
- Jesus, who do I need to forgive today?
Choosing Guidance God’s Way
I was sure I heard God’s voice. “Take your family to Romania.” It had been that clear in my mind as I prayed, and it was one of the outreach options for our YWAM training school. My wife had prayed and agreed, and we were excited to say, “We’ve experienced God’s clear direction!”
But we had no money. Sad and confused, we watched the team leave for Romania without us. Inner-city Chicago ended up being where our family spent that summer instead (another story). For a long time afterward I was discouraged. Hearing God was obviously for people much more spiritual than me.
Three years later we were on staff at a YWAM base. The Discipleship Training School (DTS) leader asked me to lead an outreach to Romania with my family. Christine and I nervously agreed. Within a short time all the money we needed came in, and with our three young children, we went to Romania for five weeks. It was an amazing time of ministry for all of us, particularly in the orphanages. Maybe we had heard God afterall. . . but just hadn’t understood His timing?
Harbor Lights
Later, I read a book* about receiving guidance from God. The author used the illustration of a 19th century Italian port with an entrance so treacherous from submerged rocks that something innovative had to be done to safely guide ships in. Three light houses were set up in a row. As long as a ship’s pilot kept all three aligned in his sight so they appeared as one light, boats could enter the harbor safely. But if ever he saw three separate lights, disaster was eminent.
The author used this illustration to explain components of seeking God’s direction in life. He proposed that (1) the word of God, (2) the internal witness of the Holy Spirit and (3) circumstances were all “lights” that need to align in order to be confident of God’s leading in any major decision. I quickly saw the wisdom in this and eventually added a fourth light that complemented the three.
God Told Me to Do It?
We all can think of examples of people who have claimed to be guided by God but in the end their decisions proved to be foolish, wrong or outright evil. Below are four “lights” that, when aligned, provide clarity and safety as we seek to hear God’s voice and make life decisions.
1. Alignment with the light of God’s written word
From the very beginning of the Christian Faith, what was written in the Old Testament scriptures was considered authoritative and inspired. The writings of the first followers of Jesus were later added to create what we know today as the Bible. Without the Old and New Testaments there would be no followers of Jesus today because we would not know the story of God’s work in the world. Thus the Bible is still the reference point for those who claim to be Christ followers (Matthew 5:18-19; Luke 21:33).
Yet it can be used wrongly, deceptively and selfishly when quoted out of context. Without seeking to know the heart of God, which is both loving and holy and revealed throughout the book’s entirety, many words can be twisted to justify almost anything. Hatred, murder, various perversions as well as slavery have all been “supported” using the Bible. Despite the sometimes conflicting interpretations of certain passages, it still holds a unique place as a standard for right and wrong behavior and insight into what is truly important to God. It must be the starting point for any follower of Jesus when seeking God’s guidance.
2. Alignment with the light of the Holy Spirit’s internal witness
Whether it comes through a desire, idea, strong impression, voice or vision while reading the Bible, the Holy Spirit’s personal confirmation is very important. Through an internal witness we experience the intimate awareness of God’s presence. What we “hear” within should not be ignored (John 10:3-4). This is where we own the guidance God is giving us with our “yes.” Any internal leading, however, that is contrary to what God has already revealed in His word must be rejected.
Occasionally people tell me what they think God wants me to do. Could that be God speaking to me? At times something inside immediately resonates and it seems clear that this is from Him. It’s like experiencing an internal “amen.” In other cases, I feel nothing or even an uncomfortable sensation. On such an occasion, I have learned to not throw it away but place it on the “waiting shelf” in my mind. If anything comes along in the future that confirms it, I can take it down and consider it once more. There are “words” from other people that have been on that shelf now for many years.
Ultimately, I’m responsible for all my decisions. I can’t blame my actions on some other person telling me what the Holy Spirit is saying. I have to own my choices, and the Holy Spirit helps me do just that. His witness is an internal conviction that is accompanied with peace (Colossians 3:15) even when I don’t like what He’s saying. A lack of peace could also be the Spirit’s witness and should not be ignored. The Spirit’s voice will never back me into a corner in a condemning way but will offer His counsel with the freedom for me to refuse or embrace it.
3. Alignment with the light of wise counsel
The Bible is full of instructions to seek input from others, besides the internal witness, when making decisions (Proverbs 12:15; 15:22). Of course, choosing the right source for your advice is of vital importance. If you go only to those who always tell you what you want to hear, it’s wasted effort. You’re really just doing what you want and not truly interested in God’s will. Who is the person not afraid to tell you “no” and you will respect it? That’s the one you should seek out. On the other hand, going to someone who has a vested interest in the decision you’re making is not a good idea either. Even good and godly people can have selfish reasons for the counsel they give, which may not be God’s.
In the end, everyone, no matter how spiritual they are, needs to hear from outside themselves. You then are left to prayerfully decide whether the counsel is good and fits with what you know to be true about God’s character. This light can also help correct a subjective inner witness that may be leading you astray—if you have the humility to actually listen (read “Choosing to be a Learner”) .
4. Alignment with the light of circumstances
When the first three lights line up, we must then wait for the “open door.” Favorable circumstances alone provide poor guidance. Just because something is a good opportunity does not make it God’s will. The word of God, the Holy Spirit’s internal witness and wise counsel are all important tests for any “great” opportunities no matter how perfect they appear on the surface. How easily we can misinterpret the inner witness of the Spirit, presuming to know how God is going to do what He said. The light of circumstances helps keep guidance from God rooted in reality.
As when Christine and I heard God’s direction to take our family to Romania, timing is an important factor. For us, three of the lights were lining up. But God used finances to steer us to be in Romania at just the right time. I’m still not sure why He spoke the directions more than three years before the door opened, but that’s how He works sometimes.
These are good principles. But guidance from God is not a formula with four easy steps to always know God’s direction. It’s not “magical” like using a ouija board. It’s based on relationship with Him because that is His first priority. He wants you to know He has your highest in mind throughout the entire process. Trusting that He is good and desires to lead you to good places, whether you can presently see them or not, is the foundation for all godly guidance (read “Choosing to Hear God on His Terms”).
He desires, more than anyone else, to see you guided into the safe harbor of His love.
Response
- Which light do I find easiest to depend on?
- Which light do I find easiest to ignore?
- When have I given up on trying to hear God because things didn’t work out the way I thought they should?
- Jesus, what do you want me to know about your desire to guide me?
*Take Another Look at Guidance by Bob Mumford is presently out of print, but used copies are available online.
Choosing to Hear God on His Terms
As I pulled up to the stop light in a Dallas suburb, I mumbled, “Right, left or straight?” The word “right” lingered in my mind, so I made the turn. My knuckles were white on the steering wheel and every muscle in my body felt like tightly wound guitar strings. As I rounded the corner, I saw a row of yellow buses parked ahead.
I had failed to bring directions to my 13-year-old daughter’s volleyball tournament. Our family was at a hotel for a week-long conference in Dallas, and my job had been to pick up Natalie so that she could join the rest of us after her last game. Her coach had agreed that I could come get her just before the team drove back to our home town of Lindale, nearly 100 miles away. With family cell phones yet a thing of the future, I had no way of communicating that she should go ahead and ride back with her team. My little girl was going to be left on a Dallas street corner as evening came on. I was desperate.
And then an absurd thought came to me: you believe that God speaks; ask Him to guide you to the tournament site. With the sun getting low, I didn’t debate the idea long. I nervously pulled out of the hotel parking lot, repeating my four-word prayer at every intersection. Within 20 minutes I saw her standing beside one of the tournament school buses. I was dumbfounded. I could barely believe it had really worked!
God, the Communicator
It was a long time before I shared this experience with anybody, mainly because I was ashamed to admit I had stupidly forgot the directions. But it was a powerful reminder of what the Bible reveals, that God speaks and wants us to hear and respond to what He has to say (1 Samuel 3:1-11; John 10:2-5). And He has more to speak to you than just directions in a big city. So as followers of Jesus, what’s keeping us from hearing Him?
I find a common obstacle is the struggle to accept that He actually wants to speak to me. I sometimes wonder, why would He? He’s God and probably very busy running the universe. I’m not that important, am I?
This barrier is simply unbelief. We easily doubt that His written word has any relevant things to say to us today, especially about who we as 21st Century humans really are and how we’re to live our lives. So why would we embrace the idea that God desires to communicate something specific, intimate and meaningful to individual humans? Holding on to the belief that He longs for meaningful interaction with us faces withering opposition from the cynicism that rules our culture.
It’s a major hurdle: initiating and maintaining a childlike belief in God’s character as a Communicator. But only as we choose to see Him this way can we embrace that He aches to intimately connect with each of us.
So, if God desires to speak, what kinds of things can we expect Him to say?
He longs for all He has made to choose to come close to Him. So, it seems clear to me that His communication to us will always have the goal of doing just that—drawing alienated people to Himself.
I can identify three basic categories of what God wants to say.
1. How He Feels About You
A lot of us still think of God as angry, busy or simply not that interested. The idea that He has tender feelings for us and passionately desires to express them is a foreign thought or to-good-to-be-true. But we need to remind ourselves of the imagery in Zephaniah 3:17:
“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful singing” (NLT).
Have you ever let yourself stop and hear God’s “joyful singing” over you? It can be more than a person can handle, which is one reason why some may not want to hear it. But it’s there. A song is being sung over you right now and you can hear it if you dare to believe that you are THAT loved and He is THAT good.
Why does He want to communicate this way? After all, humans have continuously violated His will cutting ourselves off from Him. Our sin has wreaked havoc on us and cost Him so much, yet even as a holy God He keeps pursuing us. “But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8, NLT). He pursues us; He loves us; He likes us because He created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). He has offered His heart even when we rejected Him. He sacrificed Himself even while we were rebels.
He’s for us. And He wants us to know it.
I have come to believe that the greatest percentage of God’s communication toward me is centered on His deep affection, care and longing for me. But I often reject His “still, small voice” as my own imagination. When I acknowledge and accept the countless words of tenderness and affirmation He sends my way each day, then I’m in a position to hear the other things He wants to tell me.
2. Guidance for Your Decisions
Many people turn to God wishing Him to speak when they’re at a crossroads or feel stuck.
God, which school should I go to?
God, what career should I pursue?
God, is this the person I should marry?
Or, God help me find my daughter in Dallas.
And it can be so frustrating when we don’t hear an immediate answer. However, He often has an order to what He desires to communicate to us. Do we know what is most important to Him? I now believe I heard him that evening in Dallas long ago because I had already settled the question of His love for me and dared to go out on a limb in trust.
Guidance from God is vital. But the attitude in which we receive direction can be even more significant. If we are not hearing and responding to His loving affirmation or humbly submitting to His correction, we are unlikely to receive and obey guidance that we don’t understand or don’t like. And rarely do we initially comprehend all the “whys” of what He is saying. Is He going to give us direction if we’re not acknowledging what He’s already shown us? Sometimes He waits until we’re ready to hear and respond to first things, first.
3. Direction in Ministering to Others
What He has to say isn’t just for you. He desires you to be a conduit of His affirming love or joyful song to others. Are we opening ourselves to hear and pass along God’s goodness to those He brings across our path? Affirming words, prayers of faith, pronouncements of truth, declarations of God’s goodness, acts of kindness? It’s difficult, if not impossible, to give to others what we have not first chosen to receive for ourselves.
A desire to hear God is good. It is worthy of a life-long commitment. Whether it’s very specific guidance we need or affirming words of love, He’s ready to give it. But as everything in our walk with God, we must learn to listen and respond His way. So, choose to hear. Choose to obey. And never give up!
Response
- What thoughts, circumstances or past experiences stir up unbelief that God speaks and desires to communicate specifically and meaningfully to me?
- When I don’t hear God in the way I expect, how do I respond?
- What do I need to do with my cynicism, my unbelief?
- Jesus, what do you want to speak to me right now?
Choosing Love Over Fear
Some things terrify me!
What if there’s no one I know in the dining room to sit with? That’s the haunting question for an introvert traveling to speak at other YWAM bases. I wish I didn’t feel that dread in the center of my stomach, but it faithfully shows up wherever I go. At times it takes great effort to choose to go to a meal when I’m traveling alone. It sounds so trivial and I feel embarrassed to admit it. Yet it’s only one of many kinds of fears with which I’ve had to wrestle over my lifetime.
Fear vs. Love?
Fear shows up in countless situations and takes innumerable shapes. How is a follower of Jesus to deal with it? The Apostle Paul told his disciple, Timothy, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). The Apostle John said, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18 ESV). From these verses I gather that fear and love are at odds with each other and cannot share the same space. If one is fully embraced, the other is pushed aside. So, why does fear tend to dominate? What’s going on when we feel it bubbling inside?
First of all it’s important to realize that fear is an emotion. It can be a very strong one that becomes enmeshed with our identities if we let it, but it manifests as an emotional sensation nevertheless. Contrast that with love. Though often treated as a feeling, love is fundamentally a choice to give of ourselves to or for another—especially in a sacrificial way. To respond in love rather than fear involves navigating a tension between our emotions and our will. We get to decide which one wins.
What’s the Choice?
When the Angel Gabriel showed up to announce to Mary that she would be pregnant with the “Son of the Most High,” he first said, “Do not be afraid, Mary” (Luke 1:30 ESV). The assumption is that Mary had a choice between responding to the angelic message as a terrified child, or not.
Experience reveals that we cannot necessarily stop ourselves from feeling an emotion—especially fear. We do, however, have the ability to choose what we do when we’re afraid. We can assume the angel had some insight and knew that Mary was terrified and that’s why he said it. And she chose to listen and submit in faith, though her emotions probably were going crazy. Her love for God strengthened her to choose a response that honored Him.
So, how do we grow in our ability to choose to do the loving thing rather than obeying the feelings of fear?
Remembering
While fear tends to isolate us in the straitjacket of how we feel at the moment, love challenges us to recall the big picture. As the Israelites were preparing to cross the Jordan River to face their enemies in the land promised to them, Moses gave clear instructions, “You shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt” (Deuteronomy 7:18 ESV). They were directed to focus on what their God had done in the past and to trust that He was still the same good God who was with them.
We too must choose to remember and focus on the broader picture of what our God has already done for us. This has the ability to lift us out of the myopic morass we find ourselves in when fear strikes. We are so forgetful when it comes to the work of God in us and around us.
What are We Worshiping?
Fear also urges us to be in awe of the problem or need immediately in front of us. Love, on the other hand, calls us to be in awe of God’s goodness and power. One of the Hebrew words translated into English as “fear” literally means “to stand in awe.” Awe is that position where we find ourselves when deeply impressed with something. It’s a kind of worship. Fear, then, easily turns into idolatry, a twisted form of worship, where we become so impressed with our circumstances or problems that we bow down to them. Real love, however, will always call us to stand in awe of who God is.
We are terribly forgetful people. But we can choose to remember who God is—past, present and future—and not act upon our fears. Even when we don’t feel like it, we have the ability to choose to worship our loving God rather than worship our fearful circumstances.
It’s a daily choice. The fearful feelings stirred within my introverted personality do not necessarily go away. Love, however, calls me to dare to put myself out there, sit with people I don’t know, take risks that terrify me. And I suspect that even extroverts have fears they need to drown in love.
The opportunities to choose love are all around us. Fear not, and let the love of our awesome God lead you!
Response
- What types of things trigger fear in me? What choices do I have when I experience that dreaded feeling?
- What are my beliefs about fear and its power? How can I defy it with love?
- How have I at times acted as if love is merely a feeling? What ends up being the result of this?
- When has the thing I feared become an object of worship because I’ve focused on it so much?
- What will help me keep my worship on God alone?
Choices and More Choices
“Chicken, beef or vegetarian?”
The text was from the planners for an upcoming banquet. My meal choice was needed and I quickly shot back my answer. I was hungry.
Ahh, wouldn’t it be nice if all decisions in life were that easy?
They’re not. Most the time I hate being pushed into issuing a verdict. I often try to put off coming to a conclusion as long as possible because I naturally doubt my initial conviction. Yet it seems there’s always some kind of decision I’m being asked to make—financially, vocationally, relationally, politically, ethically, spiritually, medically, nutritionally, etc., etc. Some feel easy, some seem irrelevant, while others overwhelm me as completely impossible. And I must remember that procrastination and even not choosing at all are all choices. I can’t get away from them!
Following Jesus is the choice I want to focus on. It’s actually a decision made up of many choices: daily, hourly and even minute by minute. They determine what I believe, think and do, as well as how I react, love, hate, give, trust others, and distract myself, all in light of truly being a follower of Jesus. And sooner or later an outcome chases after each one—outcomes, that for better or worse, I must own.
Consequences
Joshua said it several thousand years ago, “Choose this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). He was fed up with the people of his country waffling on important issues like who their god was going to be. I find, however, that I so dread the thought of being stuck with the results of a bad choice (I don’t have all the information after all) that I look for ways to avoid committing at an intersection in life. Saying ‘yes’ to one thing means saying ‘no’ to one or more others. What if a better option comes along? Can’t I just hold off and sit here for a while, no obligations? Of course I can; that’s a choice. And it will eventually produce some kind of consequence.
As a result, it’s easy to just let life happen, which is releasing others to make choices for me. That then becomes my choice with its own set of consequences. I’m sure that some who were listening to Joshua were thinking, if not saying out loud, “But what if a better god comes along?” Hmm. And how did that work out for them?
They’re Ours to Own
The irony of making decisions is that while we want, and even fight for, the right to make our own choices—resisting the commands of those “Joshuas” who want to control us—we also struggle with it. There are many times we would rather someone just tell us what to do. Choosing can be hard and confusing work. It’s nice to have someone who’s figured it out give us the answer. And if in the end their judgment was wrong then it wasn’t our fault. Right?
Unfortunately, for that way of thinking, an irrefutable law stalks us: everything about our choices belong to us. We choose, whether we realize it or not, how we respond to everything that is thrown at us, even the things we didn’t choose: our DNA, our upbringing and all those crazy, painful outside circumstances or abuses. Though it feels like we don’t have a choice, we still must decide our response, our attitude and our actions. What we do with all that is given or thrust upon us is ours! And as much, if not more, these choices are what make us who we are, for good or for ill.
A lot of Choices to Examine
I want to use this blogging space going forward to talk about what it means to move through every day as a follower of Jesus, depending on His grace but recognizing all the choices before us. There’s actually many to look at because walking with Jesus involves our entire life—every part. And like so many other choices, not committing or half committing our lives to Him (is it possible to half-commit to my wife?) has an eternal consequence.
So, take Joshua’s challenge and choose. Some choices will be as simple as deciding between chicken or beef. Others will force you to search more deeply, determining WHO you’re going to serve each day. And your options are quite limited on that last one. For, as the Bible communicates and one of our American cultural prophets, Bob Dylan, has said, “You’re gonna have to serve somebody. It may be the devil or it may be the Lord, but you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”
The choice is yours.
Reflections
- What are some of the choices I regularly make that I rarely if ever think about?
- In what ways do my everyday choices reflect my level of commitment to following Jesus?
- What is the most powerful influencer of my choices? Circumstances? Feelings? Values?
Choose This Day 