Hi, friends! I love that wherever you are around the world, we can all share a moment together, encouraging one another with the truths of God's Word. As I have been listening to recent conversations other believers are having regarding the theology of loss and grief, God helped me to see some of the tensions we all feel at times between our faith and sight.
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One of the biggest reasons our reality often clashes with our internal theology is that we live independent of our core understandings of God when untested. More so, we live independent of God Himself until we are desperate to make sense of human sorrow. We see this tragically illustrated in the lives of the Israelites as they praised God when things were the way they thought they should have been but then cursed Him when they felt discomfort of any kind. They thought they believed God was good and would always provide but at the first sign of delayed provision, they reverted back to choosing dependence on themselves instead of God. Only because of His grace and faithfulness to His promise to Abraham did the Israelite nation survive.
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As a parent, our goal is often articulated as raising independent children who can be self-sufficient in the world. We praise young adults for moving out of their parents’ homes, getting a job, paying their own bills, and stepping up to meet the challenges of daily life. Their self-reliance makes us proud.
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But, I believe that many of us also carry this thinking over to our spiritual lives. We are proud to be independent people, who can take care of our own needs and desires...until a time comes that we can’t meet that challenge. Though we need God for our very breath and being, we take that for granted, ignoring our need for His presence and provision in every moment we live. Many survive the day-to-day but never really soar as God intended.
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As we live with this mindset our whole lives, it is hard not to keep it from affecting the way we view our relationship with God. We often muster through tough things with a platitude on our lips but a deep darkness in our souls. We don't heal, allowing bitterness to take root, because our hearts are not aligned with our heads. We claim to believe the truths of Scripture and encourage others with those truths, but we can't see how they help us in our pain.
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Let's consider some definitions.
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Independence is defined as:
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- Free from outside control; not depending on another's authority.
- Not depending on another for livelihood or subsistence.
- Becoming more like Jesus Christ.
- Walking in the Spirit; not the flesh.
- Being effective and fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Being a Christian means we are free from our evil desires. Free from fear of a life separated from God. Free from bondage to sin. Free from the need to work for God's approval. Free of man's approval. Free to walk in the ways of God.
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But it also includes a dependence on God as the ultimate authority over our lives. We are now free to be slaves of righteousness - to please God and live in the light of His holiness. Growth can't happen without reliance on Christ. It is His example we follow (1 Peter 2:21).
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Spiritual maturity is a life-long process of leaning into God to fill every ache our souls have. Like Job, the way to mature in our walk with God is to turn to Him, not away. It is to attach all our hope to His faithful character, even when our circumstances make us feel forgotten and unseen. We can choose a road of independence, but we will forfeit the experience of knowing the fullness of His grace-filled presence in those dark moments.
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I like what Joni Eareckson Tada says about facing adversity: "If all is calm in your life, there is no opportunity for your faith to be strengthened, your hope to glow brighter, or your love to swell with devotion to God and affection for others." Our reactions to trials can reveal where our dependence lies.
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Deuteronomy 6:11-12 warns against spiritual independence: "When you have eaten your fill in this land, be careful not to forget the Lord, who rescued you from slavery." Joni adds, "There's nothing wrong with "milk and honey," but it can be a little like Valium, making you forget God."
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And just as Job, we find that drawing near to God has nothing to do with finding the answers for the why or seeking to understand the purposes of God in a situation. We place ourselves under His mighty hand, because that is where we have always belonged. It's the only place we will find the peace, joy, comfort, safety, salvation, and love we so desperately long for.
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May we always remember this when life throws us for a curve.
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He is already around the bend. In our unknowns. Waiting to walk us through.
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The question is will we pursue Him through the trials, relying on His grace to "swell our devotion to God and affection for others."
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It's not easy but always worth it.
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Let's pray we rest in His strength to live it.
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Your persevering sister in Christ,
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