Vent

So many people try to have an idea of who God is, but they relegate their search to perception instead of reality, societal pull rather than inward reflection, and a skewed viewpoint engulfed in comfort-based, watered down, “what can this do for me” theology rather than a true desire to be like Jesus. ..:namespace prefix = o ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office” />

I’ve watched time after time over the years, both recently and in the past, people who either got burned by another person who “claimed” to be a Christian, who found out that the way to live a Christian life isn’t wrapped up in a neat package the way they were told in Sunday School, or who just flat out gave up on the whole idea of God. It’s saddening, and it’s sickening. Not in a “self-righteous way” sickening, but sickening that today, believing in God means going to a church that makes us feel cozy, rather than making us uncomfortable and challenged to ‘step it up’ a bit. Sickening that church has been relegated to a commercialized event, full of Starbucks and social gatherings, rather than a place to feed your soul.

Here’s the news……we’ve all been burned at one time or another. We’ve all experienced pain because of someone else who claimed to be speaking in God’s stead, or who flat out claimed to be something they were not, and made us the recipient of their shortcoming. No one is exempt; we are all susceptible.

When will we (any of us, because we ALL have these feelings from time to time) realize that just because someone does us wrong, that does not mean the whole Church has done us wrong. When will we realize that when we don’t have it figured out, it’s ok to admit it, rather than put on a front behind our nice clothes and our perfect smiles. When will we realize that in our weakness, there is Someone who is far stronger, and that all the answers to the questions we have will always eventually lead back to Him, if we are TRULY searching. Searching doesn’t mean giving up and turning our backs because of something we heard, or because someone on the television asks for money. “Seek and you will find”. Most people I’ve seen who fall into the category listed above get jaded, walk away, and use their experience as a justification for quitting. Then they use that brush to paint their perception of anyone and everyone they come in contact with that might even remotely fit that mold.

They complain rather than search.
They argue semantics rather than inwardly reflect.
They refuse to hear another viewpoint that contradicts their own.

So ask yourself….did God really do you wrong? Or did you just give up? Here’s the thing…….God does not do wrong. It’s impossible for Him because of His nature. That only leaves one other response. Problem is, pride has kept the untold masses from looking in that mirror, because who wants to openly admit they are wrong? I mean, REALLY admit they are wrong? Not many. And that pride is the killer.

Pride that can be hidden.
Pride that can go on for years without acknowledgement from another human being.
Pride that eats away at the heart, that skews perception and clouds the mind.

Drugs and alcohol aren’t killing us. Promiscuity isn’t killing us. Pride is killing us, in slow, small increments.

“Seek and you will find” – Matthew 7

SEEK. and you will find.