A Journey of Becoming

Over the last few weeks, I have noticed several ministries come under attack through social media. A pastor or an artist chose to speak their mind of a few subjects and immediately some people began questioning the validity of their faith. I have seen this type of ugliness through the years and I'm always blown away. I'm blown away by it because I thought that our faith was a place to ask questions, to think through things, and to ultimately believe the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.

I'm sure most of us have seen images much like this one. There is a reassurance in it. It's a reminder in many ways that regardless of what takes place, truth will always stand the test of time and adversity. There can also be a negativity produced by such imagery. That being that we become so entrenched in what we believe that we are unwilling to change. Some people view Christianity as rigid & fragile. Rigid in the sense that it is not flexible. Fragile in the sense that any thought hurled at it will cause it to crack or shatter. That...my friends...is not how I view our faith. In fact, some of our greatest moments of faith have come through those who were willing to think outside of the box - go against conventionality - or step out of the mainstream. This is a journey of becoming.

Ask yourself this question: What would Christianity look like if it were not for the revelation Paul received about the grace of God and the mysteries hidden in Christ? How long would it have taken for the Gentiles to be fully accepted into the faith? Would circumcision be required? How much of the Old Covenant would still be embraced by the new followers of Christ? I look back on Paul's letters and I'm thrilled at his courage. I don't think Christianity today fully embraces the idea that the message he was preaching HAD NOT been revealed up to that moment in time. It takes a lot of guts to say those things. But that is what has propelled the faith for centuries. Men & Women that were willing to stand on the revelation of God.

If you go back and read many of the church fathers, you will discover some intense thoughts & conversations. Unfortunately, many people were killed because they dared to think differently. Some were ostracized or considered too radical to be legitimate. While our faith is filled with stories of evolution in the way we thought, it's also filled with some incredible tension. In fact, many were so consumed with defending "the faith that was once handed down to the saints" that they killed other believers. Thankfully, we have moved away from murder in our modern civilization. However, what we do with our words nowadays can be just as vicious.

Here's what I'm learning:
1) It's hard to encapsulate everything I believe in one sermon, one facebook post, or one blog. It takes time to develop thoughts and ideas.
2) I cannot change anyone's mind. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. It's especially hard for anyone to change their mind when they have already set themselves up to defend what they already believe.

In the past few years I have had people question whether or not I really know the truth. (And by truth they really mean what they believe to be true.) I have been questioned over the validity of my faith and in some small way my salvation. All because I have stepped outside of conventional thinking. All because I desperately want to know the heart of God. Some have recognized the intent of my heart and have acknowledged it. Others have not. I understand the struggle. I don't have any ill will toward those folks. I have been on that side of the equation. What I struggle to understand now is why we are so quick to judge, so quick to demonize, and so quick to start a jihad over different thoughts.

I think one of the hardest labels I had to deal with was being called liberal. [GASP!!!!] That's right. I got called a liberal because of my beliefs about the love of God. Liberal...simply because I fully believe in the unconditional love of God for ALL of mankind. Liberal...because I believe in the finished work of Christ. Liberal...because I view John 3 different than many traditionalists. Liberal...because of my views on the Holy Spirit and His activity in our lives. For those who know me, I have always considered myself a bit of a conservative. I mean...I took a test some time ago to gauge my biblical worldview and it was more solid than some of my legalistic friends. The Bible is something that I take seriously. However, we use the word biblical as it relates to our beliefs about the Bible. What that means is that if what you believe is different than your surroundings then you become UNbiblical. Make sense?

In my journey of becoming I have had to deal with some serious questions. When I was going through the motions and jumping through the hoops of conventional Christianity I thought I was doing what was expected. What I was missing out on was life. The results of that type of living was that I realized I was not experiencing the abundant life that Jesus promised. Since those early days of confronting everything I "knew" to be true, I have discovered a God who is loving, compassionate, and concerned that I experience His fullness. He has brought me so far in this journey. I haven't arrived and I'm definitely not saying that everything I believe up to this point is fully developed. What I am saying is that I have discovered grace to be an abiding reality. I have discovered a love for God & others that is all encompassing. I have been able to extend mercy in ways that a few years ago was unfathomable. I'm incredibly grateful for this journey. It hasn't been easy. I have lost some friends along the way. But God has been so real in the journey.

Let me close with this thought. One of the greatest lessons I have learned these past few years is something that is very crucial to our faith. I have learned how to repent. Repentance IS NOT what we have often portrayed it to be. To REPENT is to change your mind. It's a RADICAL mind change. And I'm a firm believer that our becoming is tied directly to our repentance. The more we are willing to take sides with Jesus in how He views His Father, how He views us, and how He views the Kingdom, the more we will be conformed into His image. It's quite the journey and I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone. Embrace the challenges & questions. Allow the Lord to teach you about Himself. You will be amazed at His willingness to partner with you in the becoming. You were not meant to do this alone.