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This week, God has taught me some painful, but important, truths about Christian living.
Let me tell you, I stand much more encouraged, and
built up in the faith, as a result of some powerful, wonderful facts
revealed by a gracious God, Jesus Christ!
Allow me to tell you a story.
As life is kicked into high gear, and the ever-crazy schedule of life takes flight at the highest level of me, it remains a struggle for me to keep from panic, let alone manage my life effectively! I'm sure many can relate. The feeling of work, school, church, classes, life, you name it, all at once, is downright nerve-wracking at times. And indeed it affects me too.
As
the semester started, I flung myself into my work, hoping to
accomplish all, to prove my strength, my skill, and my knowledge.
Here I am, at arguably one of the more premiere schools of theology
in the world. What better chance do I have to prove myself? To change
the world?
But
once the reality of what I was up against set in, I began to panic. I
am no longer some semi-idolized giant of theology and faith, as I was
often held up to be at home. Now I am the most humble student. I am
the least of all these people here. This shook me somewhat.
In
addition, as all this built up, and I realized my pride that I was
entertained, I fell into despair. What a wretch I was! What a fool!
With so many opportunities before me to do great things, and yet even
now I struggle to just barely stay alive, to survive the battle of
life. Let alone change the world. Some great leader and giant of
faith I turned out to be! I barely make time to study for a test!
However, the real twist of the story is here: In my despair, and disgust with myself, I chose to isolate myself from others.
I chose to brood, to
sorrow, and to bury myself in my own self-abasement, my disgust with
my failures. Instead of letting others help me, build me up, and
encourage me (and by turn encouraging them), I darkly beat myself
into the dust. And, as you can imagine, helped no one. Not even
myself.
However,
as of late, I was invited to coffee with a few friends (and for the
record, I cannot stand coffee, so imagine then how desperate I was!),
to talk, and to pray. Simply to relate on life, and how everyone was
doing. It was mind-blowing, the change of heart that occurred within
the space of a few hours!
I found I was not alone.
"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." -Prov. 27:17
Others knew my struggles, and struggled
themselves. Some struggled with lustful sins, thoughts of impurity.
Still others dealt with intellectual pride, a common problem at this
high school of learning. Some simply struggled to survive the battle.
And in my mind, I could help but think, “Why, all of this is me!
What a fool I am! Why did I not realize this before?”
Again
later, I attended a meeting for class, the purpose of which was to
hold one another accountable for our actions through the week, in
almost every area of life. From thoughts and intentions, to workplace
actions, to ministry. Before the day was over, I had gone from
despair, to hopeful trust in Christ for strength, and wisdom. Praise
God for the blessing of grace, and fellowship!
Friend, does this sound perhaps like you in any way?
God
has taught me two great things this week: Humility, and the
importance of fellowship.
Humility,
because I trusted too much in myself. I relied on my own dreams, and
my own strength to carry out those dreams. But once I was tested, I
found the truth: I am simply a weak, foolish sinful man. I learned to
realize I must rely on Christ for strength, for wisdom, and for
opportunity, and not on myself. There is no Superman. There is no man
who can do it alone. And there is no hero, apart from the one Christ
decides to build up and put in place. We can do nothing with His
direct help.
Fellowship,
because as Scripture states, again, we were made to function
alongside each other, not cut off from each other.
"Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ." -Gal. 6:2
I
was recently approached by a dear, close friend of mine who was
struggling with some powerful struggles in his life, some issues in
life that were burdening him into the ground. In a moment of
confession he honored me by turning to me to listen, to relate, and
to talk. While I was humbled by this chance, I was also struck by
something: This man had told no one of his struggles with life for
months! How much pain and burden had he endured for months alone,
when that very night, I was able to lighten his pain! What could have
been done to correct this many, many weeks ago, and to sharpen as
iron sharpens! And indeed, did I do the same thing in areas of my
life?
Friends, Christians, we need each other. Iron sharpens iron.
We were made to
function in community, building up and edifying each other in godly
conversation and fellowship! Not alone, isolated from one another!
This truth was made pointedly clear to me. Isolated, we will fall. No
man is able to uphold himself, let alone anything else, without the
help of others. God, and other brothers and sisters in Christ.
"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing." -1 Thes. 5:11
I
have great dreams. Perhaps you do too. But no matter how great you
aspire to be, you will not get there alone, in spite of what our
culture tells us. Do not imagine yourself as a superhero, a
stand-alone warrior. Or worse, do not hide in shame and sorrow at
your failures! Do not flee the company of the saints in despair, or
fear of judgment. I beg you, talk to someone! And build them up in
turn. Perhaps you will find a similar struggle in someone else.
