This won’t be a long article. I’m not even sure if it’s a rant or a question or merely an observation.
I hope it’s not a rant, so I’m sorry if it sounds like one. I think it’s more of an observation, but maybe that’s because I’m a pastor.
But please know that whatever it is, there might be some truth to it. Maybe not for everyone, or in every circumstance, or maybe even never for you personally. But I have been noticing it a lot more often.
Too often, in fact.
And my rant or question or observation or whatever it is, goes something like this:
I’ve been noticing many Christians dealing with problems after problems in their lives, but so few of them are turning to God and his Word for the answers.
I wonder…why is that?
None of us are perfect, so why don’t we turn for answers to the only One who is perfect (God) and to the one object we have in this world that is perfect (the Bible)?
Doesn’t that seem foolish not to?
For me, I know there have been more than too many times where I’ve made the same mistake myself. (Ugh!) Why do I first look inwardly or outwardly for a solution, rather than heavenly?
I also wonder if far too many people are giving up on God precisely when they should be clinging to him more and more and more. Oh, they may not admit to having given up on God (they’re Christians, after all), but our actions seem to indicate that mentality at times.
How so, you ask?
- We stop going to church regularly (or at all).
- We stop reading the Bible regularly (and then rarely ever).
- We cease praying consistently, and then only when absolutely desperate.
- We stop fellowshipping with other Christians regularly, and that soon deteriorates to only associating with Christians a few minutes before/after a Sunday church service.
Yeah, I suppose this may sound a bit like a pastor’s rant, but I assure you, it’s much more than that. I want the people in my church and your church and the other churches around my city to be head-over-heels in love with Jesus.
Don’t you?
I want my longing for intimacy with my Savior to be greater than my desire for even oxygen to breathe. I want this for me, for you, for my own family, for the people in my church, and for anyone who happens to read this in the future.
Please…don’t give up on God, either slowly, suddenly, or altogether for good. Let him be your everything!
We need to fear God (holy reverence, respect, and total submission) and follow his commandments. Only then can we be assured that our lives will be on the right path.
After all, that is precisely what the wisest person gave us for personal counsel in life. King Solomon wrote this:
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).
truly truly, i am guilty of trying to be self sufficient when it comes to solving my *own problems*
I have gotten better and sometimes surprise myself when I’m struggling And a verse suddenly comes to me. Thank you for convicting me to do better
Definitely common problems! I also am guilty of failing to read The BIBLE regularly.
‘REGULARLY’ should mean DAILY because while I do always read on Sundays : both Sunday School Class and during Communion Meditation time, and during the sermon which is ALWAYS preceded by Biblical Scripture readings as well as being re-quoted throughout ….AND attend a weekly BIBLE study with a smaller 15 to 20 ppl group for Scripture-filled, note-taking, Q&A follow-up papers, BIBLED-practically-to-death, lol! seriously deep study plus traet-plate-filler-fellowship afterward : this covers only 2 days out of a 7-day-GOD-Created week.
But as a deaf person who must read EVERYTHING for communication….well, this is usually my excuse but it doesn’t work if I’m willing to read the CC (Closed Caption) for a movie, huh??
You’re right SPOT ON, Charles!!!
The saddest fail I see is when someone chooses to drop out on Worship. Church is NOT about ‘attending’. It is a GIFT and PRIVILEGE to be invited by our CREATOR GOD to come into His House and worship, praise, glorify, and have fellowship with Him! those who CHOOSE (yes; we ALL have this same choice here in the US) to stop going are letting their biggest ‘help’ to keep their life in line with His will & commands….just ‘Peter Out’ if you can say you get the pun that is intended here (Peter walking away from CHRIST as He was arrested for trial and crucifixion). When ppl make that choice, it usually ALL goes downhill from there. Life itself is hard enough without inviting more by making one bad (or worst EVER) choice like that.
Don’t get me wrong, here. I am THE WORST (Ever.) morning person. I am the first one to shout “Where the heck are all the cups of caffeine ?!?! Still being created by GOD during the Creation…or WHAT?!?!” And then…a calm 5 minutes after loads of shaking hands pool-long-net the pot of coffee (or the can of Diet Pepsi) over, we share lots of genuine hugs, laughs, and “Good morning!”s. But I’d be a total FOOL who’d be totally lost in a very bad way if I stopped getting up on Sunday mornings to go to church. If your church has an evening service: GO. If they hold Worship Wednesdays for those who have to work a job on Sundays but cannot get off for worship: GO!
We humans can be so fired up…when we WANNA BE. And we can be SO LAZY….when we WANNA BE. But those, too, are both gifts from our Heavenly Father at Creation!! It’s the choice to do either one that is rough.
Preach on, man! Preach on!!!!
😉