Posted on my Facebook account on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 4:08pm
I have always believed and told others that being a Christian is having a personal relationship with Christ. This personal relationship is what salvation is purchased with. My struggle is with the relational aspect.
Frustration comes when we define a relationship by “feelings”. Many people will leave a church service bummed because they “didn’t feel God today” or believe their spiritual life is dwindling because they haven’t “felt” God in a long time. Since when are relationships defined by feelings? Yes feelings are vital in relationships of every type but if every time a wife didn’t feel like her husband loved her she got a divorce, why the divorce rate would be astronomical… wait a minute… (I guess this is a topic for another note entirely).
Really though? When the “flames” are turning to mere ashes and the passion is non-existent people check out of relationships. They call it quits and move on to the next thing. One professor at VFCC said something along the lines of how Christians just look for the spiritual orgasm and when they don’t get it they are unsatisfied and get angry or feel like they are doing something wrong. Lyrics to a song by “This Providence” say “if loving were easy, it wouldn’t be love”. Love is sacrificial and hard work. Ask a couple that has been happily married for 50 years, they will tell you how it was challenging and doubtful time and time again but they didn’t let the feelings overcome.
The fact that feelings are how people know how to communicate is tough when we don’t understand those feelings. The problem is not being able to use rationality over our feelings without being so rational we don’t let emotions flow freely. I am one of those that when I don’t feel, I get depressed and get the impression that God is sitting with his back to me or that maybe I have my back to Him, even in prayer. This note is not one to inspire, it is one to inquire. How do you dance with an untouchable God? I am remembering a song from Elim chapel that went “Dance with me oh lover of my soul, to the song of all songs. Romance me oh lover of my soul…” I would imagine ballroom dancing with a tall handsome mysterious man of valor and charm and close my eyes and be drawn into worship. But then I get frustrated when I would go to my quiet place and sit in silence… and just sit… in silence. I would cry from not hearing God or feeling him wrap his arms around me. I still do.
I guess my inquiry is how do I get to a point of satisfaction with my personal relationship or do I ever? If I am satisfied will I stop trying so hard to embrace God’s presence? Will I, as Jars of Clay say, “give up on giving {Him} a chance to blow my mind?” I know there are areas I need to work on. I need to be more patient, I need to be more organized in setting time aside for God they way I set time to watch my shows or have lunch dates with friends, I need to sit in silence and know God is there too, even if He too is sitting in silence. We all have heard “walk the walk” or “talk the talk” but what about “be still and know”? Be STILL and KNOW, notice it isn’t “be still and feel”.
I have always believed and told others that being a Christian is having a personal relationship with Christ. This personal relationship is what salvation is purchased with. My struggle is with the relational aspect.
Frustration comes when we define a relationship by “feelings”. Many people will leave a church service bummed because they “didn’t feel God today” or believe their spiritual life is dwindling because they haven’t “felt” God in a long time. Since when are relationships defined by feelings? Yes feelings are vital in relationships of every type but if every time a wife didn’t feel like her husband loved her she got a divorce, why the divorce rate would be astronomical… wait a minute… (I guess this is a topic for another note entirely).
Really though? When the “flames” are turning to mere ashes and the passion is non-existent people check out of relationships. They call it quits and move on to the next thing. One professor at VFCC said something along the lines of how Christians just look for the spiritual orgasm and when they don’t get it they are unsatisfied and get angry or feel like they are doing something wrong. Lyrics to a song by “This Providence” say “if loving were easy, it wouldn’t be love”. Love is sacrificial and hard work. Ask a couple that has been happily married for 50 years, they will tell you how it was challenging and doubtful time and time again but they didn’t let the feelings overcome.
The fact that feelings are how people know how to communicate is tough when we don’t understand those feelings. The problem is not being able to use rationality over our feelings without being so rational we don’t let emotions flow freely. I am one of those that when I don’t feel, I get depressed and get the impression that God is sitting with his back to me or that maybe I have my back to Him, even in prayer. This note is not one to inspire, it is one to inquire. How do you dance with an untouchable God? I am remembering a song from Elim chapel that went “Dance with me oh lover of my soul, to the song of all songs. Romance me oh lover of my soul…” I would imagine ballroom dancing with a tall handsome mysterious man of valor and charm and close my eyes and be drawn into worship. But then I get frustrated when I would go to my quiet place and sit in silence… and just sit… in silence. I would cry from not hearing God or feeling him wrap his arms around me. I still do.
I guess my inquiry is how do I get to a point of satisfaction with my personal relationship or do I ever? If I am satisfied will I stop trying so hard to embrace God’s presence? Will I, as Jars of Clay say, “give up on giving {Him} a chance to blow my mind?” I know there are areas I need to work on. I need to be more patient, I need to be more organized in setting time aside for God they way I set time to watch my shows or have lunch dates with friends, I need to sit in silence and know God is there too, even if He too is sitting in silence. We all have heard “walk the walk” or “talk the talk” but what about “be still and know”? Be STILL and KNOW, notice it isn’t “be still and feel”.
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