I've been told by a few people that I have certain insights, which, it's implied, give me an understanding of Christianity, particularly the way we as Christians should be living. I often consider these thoughts to be flawed and largely incoherent, but I'm humbled by the assurances of some of my readers, whom I generally consider to be wiser than I am. I write these things out mainly to help myself process my meditations, but also with the hope that I'll be corrected in my thinking if need ever be. (Let the record show that there has been that need several times.)
All that said, even as I explore the deep things of God, like grace, faith, love, communion, et cetera, I've still most often felt that something is missing. And per the norm, the answer to that quandary is, and always has been, practically gift wrapped in front of me. Oops.
There's a heaviness I feel inside when I witness another follower of Christ living in the way I know He wants us to live. I realize now that that bitter feeling, usually mistaken for jealousy, is in truth a conviction on my heart of the life I'm not fully living in the way I ought to be living it.
One of my biggest struggles is the practical side of the knowledge I've been imparted. That is, while I know in my mind what's right, my juvenile heart tugs me selfishly in the opposite direction. And, undisciplined as I am, I cave to the easier course of action. I then proceed to live my life in denial of the harsh reality, largely without being consciously aware of it. The only indication, at that point, that there's something amiss is the unsettled feeling I get when convicted by something I can observe.
It's my hope that, with my recent recognition, God will continue His work in me through a grant of wisdom to put to practice the lessons I've learned through my studies and meditations.
there are skills in life which the Word will not directly teach you, and which i would argue are not even the intended purview of the Spirit. an easy example is algebra.
ReplyDeletea not-so-easy example is habit-forming, a skill which should be standard curriculum in school AND churches, but has for some reason been relegated to the self-help section.
that section bears a poorly connotated misnomer. the line between self-help and learning how to not suck at life is a vague blur, and when a devout Christian is tacitly or even explicitly taught to rely on the Spirit and the Word *to the exclusion of all else*, that Christian is robbed of something both healthy and important.
i would have a very difficult time deciding which *theological* topic to discuss with young adult Christians, given no guidelines or limitations. but, given the task of discussing any *non-theological* topic with young adult Christians (for the purpose of edification), i would quickly choose this one: how to be good at things that the Word and the Spirit aren't responsible for making you good at, which nevertheless have profound impact on your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.