Posted over at Sojourn Women's Blog or you can read below. :)
Often times, when I'm leading a group of women or trying to encourage a fellow sinner-sufferer, I find myself asking, "What am I doing or saying that is distracting from Jesus?" Mainly because I know the only worthy answer I will ever have is Jesus and the Good News. I also know that if people see me instead of Jesus, hope given will be short-lived.
This has led me to wonder how I distract MYSELF from Jesus and keep myself from relationship with Him. I recently finished a book about a woman who fasted from a million different things (not really a million, but a lot). I started thinking about the balance between enjoying God's gifts to us on earth versus indulging in them to the point of gluttony and being distracted away from Jesus. Things like TV, coffee (trust me, it's possible!), spending, community, food, sleep, being healthy, working, alcohol, children or even learning.
And the Spirit gently nudges me to ask... where am I choosing apostasy (total desertion of the gospel) in certain areas because it's more comfortable than being changed by Jesus? Where does my flesh dictate what I do instead of God's Word? Another way to ask it is, what are the objects of my greatest wants that I put before Jesus (aka: idolatry)? It could be disciplined children, a future husband or even a clean house. For many of us, this apostasy creeps up and sneaks in. It doesn't announce it's presence until it is embedded so deeply that we feel like it belongs. We get confused because the objects can be good things, but WHY we want them can be very wrong. We end up fighting for our gluttony because it put on a hat of fake holiness and a cloak of fake righteousness. Then we let it stay and call it "grace" or "freedom".
And the Spirit gently nudges me to ask... where am I choosing apostasy (total desertion of the gospel) in certain areas because it's more comfortable than being changed by Jesus? Where does my flesh dictate what I do instead of God's Word? Another way to ask it is, what are the objects of my greatest wants that I put before Jesus (aka: idolatry)? It could be disciplined children, a future husband or even a clean house. For many of us, this apostasy creeps up and sneaks in. It doesn't announce it's presence until it is embedded so deeply that we feel like it belongs. We get confused because the objects can be good things, but WHY we want them can be very wrong. We end up fighting for our gluttony because it put on a hat of fake holiness and a cloak of fake righteousness. Then we let it stay and call it "grace" or "freedom".
Isaiah 57:14-15 says,
"…'Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people's way.' For thus says the ONE who is high and lifted up…'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit..."
And the truth rears its ugly head: I DONT WANT TO BE LOWLY (or contrite, for that matter)! I want to feel good. I want to feel comfortable. And I want it in my way, when I want it, how I want it. Now you're thinking, "Whoa, she's bad!" And you're exactly right. It's the exact opposite of Jesus and it will get me the exact opposite of what my soul longs for.
Lowly means inferior or plain, not having any feelings of superiority. It's the opposite of what the world (and my flesh) tells us to be. As I read the antonyms for lowly, I was struck by "brazen, presumptuous, pretentious, uppish, LORDLY" (emphasis mine) and mostly… "self-important". If I'm not lowly, do those words describe me?
I think of the million times today I found my SELF to not only be more important than others, but also more important than a holy and perfect God.
Where in my life am I refusing to be lowly and finding comfort in the world instead of with Christ? Where am I choosing self-importance over God-importance? Where am I quenching my thirst in places other than Christ (but having to always stuff myself because I'm never satisfied there)?
Personally (it will look different for everyone, but have a similar stench), I put obstructions in the way of my relationship with Christ because He asks me to consider others as more significant than myself. He calls me to bear other's burdens… and not just the ones I choose to help carry. In Galatians 6, God did not give a list of when to and when NOT to bear someone's burdens. He didn't say only when you've had coffee and a good night's rest. Can you imagine our perfect Lord saying, "Hey, only bear someone's burdens when things are great for you… only when you don't have other things you'd rather be doing… only when you like the person or they can give something back in return… only when it's comfortable for you… only when you don't have a deadline… only when it feels good and other people are watching you."
Personally (it will look different for everyone, but have a similar stench), I put obstructions in the way of my relationship with Christ because He asks me to consider others as more significant than myself. He calls me to bear other's burdens… and not just the ones I choose to help carry. In Galatians 6, God did not give a list of when to and when NOT to bear someone's burdens. He didn't say only when you've had coffee and a good night's rest. Can you imagine our perfect Lord saying, "Hey, only bear someone's burdens when things are great for you… only when you don't have other things you'd rather be doing… only when you like the person or they can give something back in return… only when it's comfortable for you… only when you don't have a deadline… only when it feels good and other people are watching you."
By saying no to loving others, I am saying no to God (and a lot of other terrible, awful, no-good things)! And when I love others only because I feel like it (as opposed to doing it because I love HIM), I attempt to theft God's glory for my own trophy case.
So here's the rub: I distract myself from Jesus when I choose to gratify my own desires and stay comfortable in my selfish habits. It's like the kid who gets full on juice instead of eating a full, healthy meal (or crackers in my daughter's case). It never lasts, never satisfies and doesn't meet your actual needs. But when I do bear other's burdens, when I help restore others in gentleness, when I walk by the Spirit and choose patience, I get to experience an amazing God who reminds me that I am lowly and (desperately) in need of HIM only. I don't get the glory, but I also don't get the shame and guilt. Instead I get a worshipful heart because I see who He is! I experience Him without obstructions. I get true grace and freedom that affords me true Joy.
So here's the rub: I distract myself from Jesus when I choose to gratify my own desires and stay comfortable in my selfish habits. It's like the kid who gets full on juice instead of eating a full, healthy meal (or crackers in my daughter's case). It never lasts, never satisfies and doesn't meet your actual needs. But when I do bear other's burdens, when I help restore others in gentleness, when I walk by the Spirit and choose patience, I get to experience an amazing God who reminds me that I am lowly and (desperately) in need of HIM only. I don't get the glory, but I also don't get the shame and guilt. Instead I get a worshipful heart because I see who He is! I experience Him without obstructions. I get true grace and freedom that affords me true Joy.
The most beautiful part of this whole thing is that Jesus is the ultimate burden-bearer. And regardless of my denial of Him, He still loves me and pursues me. So much so that He took my shame and guilt upon himself. Jesus claimed it and said, "Her sin is mine. Punish me instead of her". And in return, I get to experience a newness of life and the freedom to love others in the same way.
So I pose the same question to you: Where are you being distracted from a deeper relationship with Jesus?
