"I think we severely underestimate how committed we are to remaining the same." - Yours Truly
And the capacity we have to manipulate ourselves into staying that way is gargantuan.
Seriously...how much of your conversation is a defense of who or how you are? Oh, you are talking about various things and issues and people...but just under the surface of that is where I want us to check. How much of what you say and do, out loud to others and in your mind to yourself, is really a defense against healthy evaluation and change?
And this is not about feeling guilty, or defending yourself from thoughts that make you feel guilty. The very idea of being able to have serious thoughts of change, without guilt, is one of the very changes that we are so committed to not making.
You are holy and you are being made holy, the Scripture says. You are faithful and are called to be more faithful, it proclaims. You are saved, and you are working out your salvation, the letters record. Your eternal life is secure as a follower of Christ, and your life is constantly transforming into his image as a follower of Christ. I think of some of the Kings of old being crowned King as children. They are the King, and they are becoming the King. How silly it would be for him to feel guilty as a child when he makes a mistake that isn't very "kingly". How wasteful of time would it be for him to dwell on the guilt he feels because of the instructions, guidance, or help of someone who wants nothing but to lovingly help him grow up into "kingliness".
It is our flesh, defending how we are, trying to keep us the same, that does such things.
How likely is it that you will get up tomorrow and do something significantly and core-level different, even if you set your mind to do so only for one day? And are you aware of how you feel when it is even suggested that it might be a good idea?
How noble are my plans! They are high and mighty, with my eyes set to the summit of Christ-likeness as my ideal and real goal! And, oh, how I manipulate myself out of taking my next courageous step towards it. Why? Because I would have to change. Really change.
And I think I really underestimate how committed I am to staying the same.
"Unless you change you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven." -- Jesus Christ
For some, the waiting game is just gonna have to do. They will endure this life as it comes and as they are...waiting and longing for Heaven. For others, they want it to be here on earth as it is in Heaven. They want the kingdom's rule now. They will USE this life...to shape them and forge them into living the Kingdom now...here on earth as it is in Heaven.
Most days, I am the latter. But I will have to fight against the gravity of the earth, the gravity of the dark kingdom of status quo, and the gravity of most of the people around me in my life...and change...if I want to enter it.
You?
2 comments:
Perhaps the reluctance to change comes not from a fear of change itself nor a fear of the guilt from making mistakes while changing, but rather a dread of the criticism from others for even attempting to make a change. Sometimes it's easier to maintain status-quo than it is deal with the critics. That doesn't make it right...just easier.
as humans we try to get to a place where there is not so much change...get the house paid for, dye the hair, tucks, lifts, diets, make that car last another year. it is so hard to keep up with it all that we would like for time to stand still for awhile...just for a little while until we catch our breath. the changes from the inside out are good for us, even though it is a hard lesson at times. the Holy Spirit is in control of that and i am sure glad about that. because even though it is scary and there are times that it is very hard, i know that i am not alone. in the dark places we can reach out to God. i admit that i would rather not go through the bitterly dark places, i try not to think of it most of the time and try to place my sights on Jesus and God's mercy and how much He loves me and wants to share that love with others. i also think that changes take time to happen in us humans and in the human race. some times some of us are in such hard places it is all we can do is just hang on. i am a small part of the a very big picture that God has. somtimes i am going through something so that heaven starts to look pretty good and then other times i am able to get beond that and see outside of myself and go with God to other places.
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