Christopher (58)
e. barrett (46)
Jen (8)
Wickle (7)
cathy (3)
Elric66 (2)
willoh (2)In A Spiritual Funk?
I started to draft up a post on a book that I read some years ago that impacted me, however I got into a bit of a blogger’s block with how to articulate my thoughts, so that’s on the back-burner for now. So what does one do when they hit a wall? Read, go watch TV, nah… “Google” something or visit a blog or two, which is what I opted for.
I dropped in to see what’s new on the mind of fellow blogger/bloggett Jen of WalkTwo this evening. Jen’s posted her thoughts on feeling as though she’s doing the same old mundane things. Earlier in the month, there was a post titled: “Shifting out of Neutral” in which I shared similar feelings and concerns.
The Bible is filled with radical characters which serve to motivate and inspire us in our walk with Christ. Jesus Christ without a doubt being the primary radical and the reason for the other characters to be as well. Then there’s Paul/Saul who, by God’s will and power bought about great spiritual, social, and religious changes. Timothy the successor to Paul’ ministry, was probably considered a radical, if not by the world then at least by his own “brethren” in the church, some of who were envious, or uneasy of his position given his young age. David of Old Testament times was a radical, though some may find it hard to comprehend given the Conan The Barbarian world view of David’s role in God’s plan.
Who knows but God, what He has in store for you and your walk in life? The details, or at least the general idea for some may be crystal clear, they are to be missionaries, or to start new churches for the kingdom, to enter into service for The Lord as pastors, ministers, and preachers, dare I say, perhaps even as televangelist’s. For others, what God, has planned over our lives is not so clear, and the thought that comes to mind is this… maybe, just maybe, we (me, you,them, us) are not where we need to be yet with the Lord. I’m not making innuendo to what personal demons are still to be exercised, or what stumbling blocks are still in the way, for temptation is always lurking around the corner. I’m making reference to being at that point, that season or time where God knows that you are ready for the next step.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reading from The Old Testament quite a bit, and Scripture that comes to mind concerning how we may feel as though we’re not effectual or otherwise radical enough comes from 1st Chronicles 17. David was dismayed concerning the housing of the Ark of the covenant of the Lord (under a tent), while he himself lived in a fine palace of Cedar. From the text, it’s assumed that David was planning to build a palatial house for the ark, God however, had other plans…
1st Chronicles 17:7-14 (NIV)
7 “Now then, tell my servant David, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock, to be ruler over my people Israel. 8 I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name like the names of the greatest men of the earth. 9 And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning 10 and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also subdue all your enemies.
” ‘I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’ “
In the 8 verses, God establishes 16 times what He has done (past), is doing (present) or will do (future) within David’s lineage.
God’s past actions:
- took David from the pastures
- cut off David’s enemies
- appointed leaders (including David)
God’s present actions:
- always with David (faithful)
- provider of a land for His people
- exalted him to be a great leader among men
- makes a promise to build a heavenly house for David (his lineage etc through Jesus Christ)
God’s future actions:
- promises of a successor through David’s family line (Jesus Christ)
- establish His kingdom
- establish His rule/authority
- Be the father to David’s successor (Jesus)
- forever love His Son
What resonates from 1st Chronicles 17:7-14 are the following thoughts:
- God’s plan over our lives may be a long term deal
- We may not see the total outcome of in our lifetime
- What we consider as grand or radical may not be inline with God’s will
- God is still God, and he’s still in control
Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
I pray that you find peace and comfort not in my words, but in God’s word. To Him be the glory.
Grace and peace be with you.
3 Responses to “In A Spiritual Funk?”
Comment from e. barrett
Time March 24, 2008 at 10:54 am
I always marvel at Paul’s ability to be so bold - almost to the point of recklessness. And I wonder why I hesitate to act in situations less extreme.
Fortunately I’m always reminded that God has patience for the likes of me too. How many times did Moses hesitate before acting? And God had to send a whale to get Jonah to act.
God has a way of using people, even when we think we’re not capable or that we’re not ready. Whenever we ask, “who am I?”, God so often answers, “you’re the one I am looking for.”
Christopher says:
Regarding: “And I wonder why I hesitate to act in situations less extreme.” The simple answer from my own experiences is this: a desire to retain some resemblance of our lives as we know it, forgetting that that old man is no longer in existence once we have become a slave to Christ.
Excellent points on “being ready”… I would say that this is a matter of looking at things from our perspective instead of as God sees things. Instead of comparing or measuring our abilities or effectiveness, to others that God has used we ought remember that:
- We each serve as parts in the body of Christ, each having a specific function
- He works His craftsmanship as it is unique to us & the specific situation in our life
Comment from Cathy
Time March 24, 2008 at 11:01 am
John 15:18-19 is a central theme for a major time in my life. I had been at a Renovar retreat where we focused on John 15 for four days. Verses 18-19 bothered me because I didn’t feel the hate of the world at all. But on the drive home I learned that my son had badly broken his leg. Then when I got home I was fired from a job I’d held for six years (completely unexpected and later, exonerated). Then my car broke down on the highway. At that point I did a Sally Field in reverse. “You hate me, you really hate me!!”
Christopher says:
Cathy, great to hear from you again!
I don’t know to what extremes, Jesus meant by “hate”, however, I think that it is sometimes subtle; perhaps a snide comment such as “Oh don’t say that around her, she’s religious” or criticism of one’s Christian values and principles because they don’t align with the worldview. I trust the words of the Holy Bible, and if Jesus said that the world would hate you because of Him, I believe Him. The thing that is most important though, is that regardless of what the world thinks, Jesus loves you, which is the same attitude Jesus took with Him to the cross, always remembering that though the world rejected Him, His Father loved Him still.
John 15:18-19 is in my opinion a reality check. I think that Jesus left us with these honest words out of love and encouragement, to lift us up whenever doubts would creep into our minds. Call it a life lesson to hold onto.
Comment from Jen
Time March 24, 2008 at 7:51 am
Hey Christopher,
Good words and I figured I leave a response here too. But in regards to my own spiritual funk I don’t think it’s so much a feeling of needing to do something radical for God. It’s just a matter of living a different mindset then what I’ve been living - maybe it’s a radical mindset. Radical being - I want to be about doing whatever it is He wants me to do (with nothing hindering, including myself) and everything else… is literally left up to Him. Sometimes I feel it’s the “cares of this world” that I need to be throwing to the wind. Talk at ya later!
~Jen
Christopher says:
I understand mobetta, what your saying.
Joe, a man that I consider sold out to the Lord & the Team Leader of the Men’s Ministry for my church was a person that I was inspired through to “throw the cares of the world to the wind” if you will. One Sunday morning during services, Joe was singing on stage with the Praise & Worship team. I remember Joe, just lifting his hands up in awe and praise to the Lord as he sung, and this “voice” speaking to my heart, saying “If he can be so bold in the Lord, why can’t you?” At that moment, I simply made a decision to quit caring what the world thought of me, to welcome being a “Jesus freak”. And yet Jesus had already given us these words of comfort and wisdom to live by when He said to His disciples in John 15:18-19:
Grace and peace.