I recently held a little gathering for young women in my home. It was a wonderful and sweet time of lady snacks and lady chats. The purpose of getting everyone together was to talk about two things: Life and Love. Both subjects were ultimately summed up in a Person, of course¬.
The whole concept of healing, restoration, and peace being found in a PERSON, not a theory or even a theology is something that is becoming more and more fascinating and liberating to me.
As I was listening to each lady share about her life and how love has and is continuing to impact her life, I began thinking about, well, life.
Our worldview begins forming the moment we take our first breath. Like little sponges we soak in our surroundings, first learning the “basics” (to breathe, how and when to cry, to crawl, walk, talk, read, write, sing, etc.), and then we move on to other things, absorbing “truths” (and untruths) along the way that influence what we believe and who we will become. We start dreaming and making plans for our future, all based on our adopted/formed by immersion/influenced, worldview.
Then, one day our culture declares that we are “grown up,” so we, like responsible adults, do our best to fit in to society, continuing to live according to what we believe is “right,” pursuing the things (careers, etc.) we think are important.
Then, reality kicks in: our hopes, dreams, and plans (even beliefs) don’t always “pan out” the way we thought they would. “Now what?”
Everyone responds to this differently. Some immediately look back and get angry at whomever or whatever influenced them to end up in their current situation. They blame their parents for not putting them in piano lessons or giving them a dog, or sending them to the right college. The feel tricked, lied to, and brainwashed by those who helped instill in them their current value system. Others get cynical about life, but keep moving forward, asking no questions, just doing their best to ignore the fact that their worldview is being “shaken,” perhaps assuming they’ll figure “it“ (life) out “someday.” Others do their best to cling to what they were so sure was right, stay on the same path, afraid to ask any questions, hiding their doubts, going through the motions without REALLY knowing if they are who they are meant to be, or if they are doing what they “should” be doing, or if they believe the right things.. Others begin searching for “something else,” (a new job, mate, value system, religion) desperate and willing to embrace ANYTHING that will give them a sense of security and peace.
Others respond like Job.
Job was a man whose ideas about life and faith had matured to the point where he was living out what he believed (stage one of adulthood). But then something happened. One by one, everything that was precious to him was stripped away and he was left with nothing, not even his health. His first reaction? Blind trust. As if he were saying, “Ok, God. I’ve always done “xy and z” and served you in this way, so I’ll just keep doing it. I don’t understand why you’ve let all of this happen to me, but I’ll praise you anyway.” It seemed to be a noble attitude considering the agony he was facing, but was it really?
As we follow his tragic story we find that, after a while, his attitude began to change. Maybe it was because of his friends (the “miserable counselors” who were always spouting “truths” at him to try to make sense of his situation), or maybe it was just because he was frustrated and exhausted from the pain. Regardless of the reason, Job’s perspective on life and faith was shaken. His reaction went from, “I will yet praise you” to, “I don’t get this, I know I didn’t do anything wrong,” to “God must not really care about my suffering,” to, “This is completely unfair.” Job finally reached his wits end. He could not reconcile his mindset/faith with what was happening to him.
That’s when God came on the scene. Why did He wait so long? Why didn’t he respond to Job’s initial response of praise, instead of waiting to show up until he was at the point of despair and unbelief? Because God wanted to show Job the Truth (no, not “truths,” the Truth.)
Job was faithful to his ideals and God honored him for it. In fact, God was so delighted with Job’s faithfulness that HE caused the “shaking.” Not to teach Him “truths” or build character (though he did learn a few things), but to show Him Truth—the essence of life.
Society has things backwards. We focus on theories, philosophies, etc. so much that we miss the point. For example, we spend so much time studying and trying to figure out and “master” the details of creation that we rarely (if ever) step back to see it for what it is: Creation.
What is known as the “organized church” seems to have things backwards, too. We focus on “truths” (like Job’s friends) and study those “truths” (theologies, theories, etc.), immersing ourselves in THEM, but rarely look to the One Whose very nature IS Truth. We feed ourselves with words (salvation, redemption, sanctification, justification) but because we have lost sight of Salvation, Redemption, the One who sanctifies and justifies, we have only crumbs to offer those who are desperate and hungry for Life.
Theologies and theories and philosophies are all well and good. They hold elements of truth and they help us understand better what we already know, BUT THEY ARE NOT TRUTH IN THEMSELVES! If we haven’t encountered Truth Himself (the Life of the universe), no matter how much we study or cling to truths, we will never fully understand them. We must see the Truth before we will ever really “see” the truths. (“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Even “correct” theology is sinking sand if the person embracing it has not first embraced Christ.)
If a child is educated about a far away land and puts his/her confidence in what they know about that land, without ever seeing it or experiencing it, when someone comes to that child and says, “that land doesn’t exist” what other proof will he/she have other than, “but I was told…”?
Does this mean we should all just let go of everything we believe to be right and open ourselves up to new worldviews and belief systems just to try to find what “works”? Not at all! Job held on to his faith, and so should we.
Basic point:
Ideals are good. Faithfulness to them is noble. But sooner or later, everything we believe will be shaken (Hebrews 12:27¬–28). If our foundation is truths (even if they are true) we’re going to have a hard time pressing on when things get tough. If our faith and hope and confidence is Christ Himself, it won’t matter how many doubts or fears arise, or how our theories or doctrines are challenged, HE will remain our confidence.
I realize there is fine line here. I am not trying to imply that I believe there are no absolute “truths” when it comes to doctrine, etc. I am saying that when it comes down to it, if we don’t have HIM, we have nothing. Our theories and theologies and philosophies hold no weight, no power, and can impart no life apart from Him.
“I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Psalm 16:8
Peace,
S
Stephanie Staples
www.StephanieStaples.com
[email protected]
