Staged Life

“Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding.” (Matthew 6:1 MSG)

When putting a house on the market for sale, many realtors recommend hiring staging companies to make your house more presentable. These professionals often remove existing furniture and other useful things like clothes, toys, books, cookware, memorabilia, etc., to make the house look more appealing to buyers. The kitchen counters will not have any of the practical things that a family would use--toasters, coffee makers, dish drying racks, cutting boards, etc. Instead, they remove all those things that make a kitchen useful and put something decorative on the counter--like a jar of lemons. If the sellers are still living in the house, this can be very inconvenient. They are forced to live pseudo lives until their homes sell. I am surprised that buyers find staged homes appealing. I would rather see a home that is clean and real. I would want to know that the rooms could accomodate large beds and that there was enough countertop space for my small appliances. Unfortunately, sellers, buyers, real estate agents, and stagers all accept these fabrications as status quo.

Staging a house is bad enough, but some individuals also choose to have staged lives. Their primary goal is to look appealing and present themselves in an appealing way to others. They eschew practicality in favor of aesthetics. Every good deed is done for applause. Every action is a performance. Every experience is engineered and filtered for social media.  While it’s common practice to present oneself in the best light, it can create feelings of inadequacy in observers who mistake the staged version for reality.

“When you do something for someone else, don’t call attention to yourself. You’ve seen them in action, I’m sure—‘playactors’ I call them—treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds.” (Matthew 6:2 MSG)

As followers of Christ, we are called to seek God’s glory, not call attention to ourselves. God is not impressed by performances of faith. We may get applause from other phony people, but their approval is counterfeit and, thus, has no value. Let us live with authenticity, simplicity, and humility as we seek to honor God in every action.

Potato Chip Relationship

“Unscrupulous con men will continue to exploit the faith. They're as deceived as the people they lead astray. As long as they are out there, things can only get worse.” (2 Timothy 3:13 MSG)

Potato chips are fun to eat; it’s hard to eat just one. The snack food industry, after much research and engineering, has figured out the ‘bliss point’--the amount of salt, sugar, and fat to add to processed food to make us keep eating what they are selling. Potato chips come in many flavors: sour cream, bbq,  cheddar, salt and vinegar, lime. No matter what they are covered in, we all know that they are still unhealthy. Anyone who counts a potato chip as a serving of vegetables is in denial.

Every day, we meet people who are similar to potato chips. Initially, they are fun to be around--they say what we want to hear, laugh at our jokes, and lull us into complacency. Eventually, they figure out our weaknesses and exploit them. They calculate our ‘bliss point’--just how much attention, flattery, sympathy, gifts, time, diversions, secrets, gossip, etc., it will take for us to buy into their schemes. These con men/women come in different flavors, but if you look closely, they all have similar characteristics. They are usually good-looking, confident, charming, and skilled at reading people. They take advantage of our natural inclination to be friendly, kind, and trusting. Since it’s difficult to continually scam the same people over and over, con artists tend to travel and move a lot. They reinvent new identities as needed, depending on their victims. Not all con men/women are seeking monetary gain; they can be after other resources--a place to stay, career advancement, favors, entertainment, or someone to take care of their needs and responsibilities. They often cultivate relationships to latch on to those with credibility, to restore their reputation, to spite their foes, or to just prove that they can. Even if they don’t rip us off, they can still have fun just toying with us.

Deceivers often lie to themselves as well as to those they lead astray. They imagine that they are turning over a new leaf when they reinvent themselves. Yet, their patterns of behavior do not change. They try to convince others they are just flawed humans--but decent underneath it all. This is like equating a potato chip with a vegetable since it came from a plant. All lies have some truth in them; otherwise they would be unconvincing. Those who accept these deceptions are delusional; those who remain complicit and knowingly allow these lies to be perpetuated are accessories to the deceit.

Fighting Willfulness

“I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.” ( Romans 7:24-25 MSG)

A few years ago, there was a commercial on TV for disinfecting wipes. In it, a lady was wiping down her countertops with raw chicken. The implication was that a used sponge has so many germs that it was like using a raw chicken to clean your surfaces. Even though I agree with this premise, I continue to use sponges to clean. Habits are hard to break, even when we know they are harmful.

Sin is an attempt to exert human will over God’s will. What do we rely on when we face the temptation to sin? We try to use willpower to fight willfulness. This is like using a raw chicken or a dirty sponge to clean up a germy counter. It’s completely ineffective!

We must depend on Spirit power, not our willpower, to clean up messy habits. When we have tried and failed to fix things on our own, when we are at the end of our ropes, Jesus helps us. He sets things right. He pulls us away from the influence of our sinful nature and fills our hearts and minds with the desire to serve God completely.

Self-Sabotage

“The power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! ” ( Romans 7:17 MSG)

We know that nutritious food is good for us, and junk food is bad for us. We decide we are going to eat healthfully, and then, we mindlessly consume chips and cookies while reclining on our couch. Why? Because we are more interested in taste than nutrition.

We do the same thing when it comes to many other choices. We claim to want memorable experiences that give us insight into ourselves and the world--yet we seek meaningless thrills just because they are fun. We say we want to build relationships with quality people who will bring out the best in us--but then we choose to hang out with those who offer up frivolous levity, shallow banter, flattery, and attention. We insist that we want a life of growth and meaning. Nevertheless, we spend our days chasing after pleasure and external validation.  Even though we know what is good, we keep doing what is bad. We continually choose shallow, temporal pursuits over substantive, meaningful lives. The power of sin--the desire to do what we want, to get our own way, separate from God--keeps sabotaging our best intentions.

Old Way vs. New Way

“But now that we're no longer shackled to that domineering mate of sin, and out from under all those oppressive regulations and fine print, we're free to live a new life in the freedom of God. ” (Romans 7:6 MSG)

Religious regulations can be used to codify and teach moral behavior to the masses and keep order in society. When done well, religion can provide us with guidelines to grow spiritually. Like scaffolding during the construction phase, it gives structure and support as we build our faith up. However, we are meant to eventually be able to stand firm on the foundation of Christ. Churches are filled with seekers who later become believers. Many are content to stagnate at this level. Believing in God is good; knowing and experiencing God is even better.

The ‘Old Way’ of religion requires obeying rules and doing good deeds in an attempt to earn a spot in heaven. There is a strong craving to sin--to want our own way. Motivated by self-interest, we try to manage our temptations through self-discipline. However, we are no longer married to the old way which was dominated by our sinful nature. Instead, our commitment to Christ has given us a new identity and a new way of living. We don’t do anything because we ‘should’; we love and serve God because we ‘want’ to do so. We accept grace instead of trying to earn it. We are motivated by love and are eager to yield to God and be led by His Spirit.

Expense Accounts

“You live under the freedom of God's grace.” (Romans 6:14 NLT)

The following acrostic is a wonderful description of GRACE:

G-- God’s

R--Riches

A--At

C--Christ’s

E--Expense

The sacrificial love of Jesus gives us access to God’s riches. It’s like being at a resort under Christ’s expense account. We can enjoy every good thing that is offered without having to worry about our ability to pay. But what if our desires are evil? What if we would rather leave this resort so that we can indulge and have our own way?

Free will allows us to choose between living under the freedom of God’s grace or demanding our own way. Many of us choose the latter. We reject God’s generous favor, His aggressive forgiveness, and His unlimited resources. We depend on our own wisdom, ability, and merit--instead of trusting God.

This is just stupid!

I, for one, don’t want to live this way anymore. I want to permanently be under GRACE, enjoying God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. I cannot let my desire to always be in control push me away from the unlimited resources I have in Christ. Instead, I want to use every day I have been granted to do what is right for the glory of God.

No More Mindless Living

“As long as you did what you felt like doing, ignoring God, you didn't have to bother with right thinking or right living, or right anything for that matter.” (Romans 6:20 MSG)

Occasionally I use the MyFitnessPal app to keep track of what I eat and how much I exercise. Even when using MFP, I can eat whatever I want; I just have to log it. This prevents me from eating mindlessly. Even though I have this tool to keep myself accountable, I don’t always use it. I go back to being a slave to my appetite--free from the obligation to eat right, doing whatever I want without restrictions.

When we are slaves to sin, we do whatever we feel like doing. We ignore God. We don’t bother with right thinking or right living. Days and years go by without a conscious thought about our mission and purpose. Even after we are given the gift of awareness, the temptation to go back to living mindlessly is strong. When we have lived for so long in an unconscious stupor, sober living feels austere. Yet, we sense that this sort of careless living is meaningless. It leaves us feeling ashamed and wasteful. We have discovered that listening to God is better than following our own desires.  It feels good to be on the right track. Thus, we are drawn back to God, over and over. We can’t unknow what we know--even if we try to suppress it in the depths of our being. We are meant to lead whole, healed, and holy lives. Let’s get to it.

What Dictates Your Life?

“Sin is no longer your master.” (Romans 6:14 NLT)

I have a lot to do today--a long list of chores, errands, etc. I usually plan my daily schedule around all that I want to accomplish. This makes me feel useful, efficient, and productive. Yet, today as I read through Romans 6, I came across a few verses that made me rethink the way I normally do things.

Whatever dictates my schedule is the dictator (master) of my life. Currently, my desire to feel useful and productive dictates my days. The feeling of accomplishment, even if it is from minor things that make very little difference to anyone else, is what I base my current feelings of worth upon. Is this what I want my mission in life to be? NO!  

Here is what I want my days to be about:

• “Give yourself completely to God.” (Romans 6:13 NLT)
• Use every resource “as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” (Romans 6:13 NLT)
• "Live under the freedom of God’s grace.”(Romans 6:14 NLT)

How can can I let these things dictate how I live today?

Filthy Clothes

“Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not!” (Romans 6:1 NLT)

When I get back from a long run, I know I should stretch, eat, drink, and rest. But I can’t enjoy anything when I feel yucky--I have to get out of my sticky, stinky clothes and take a shower before anything else. After I am clean, I put on freshly washed, breathable, loose clothing. I would never get back into those dirty clothes I just took off! I know I will get sweaty again the next day--but that doesn’t mean I don’t strive to be clean as much as possible.

Before we committed our lives to Christ, we were all messed up, compromised, impure--even our best efforts were like filthy clothes. But, after we immerse ourselves fully in the Spirit, we are washed clean. We leave behind our old habit of demanding our own way. We are DONE with those soiled rags of sin. We put on fresh clothes of grace. While it is true that we might slip up again and again--depending on ourselves instead of trusting God--we do not give in to living that way permanently. Instead, we strive to be clean. We ask God to wrap us in freedom, healing, and holiness.

Christlike

“The life-giving Spirit of God will hover over him, the Spirit that brings wisdom and understanding, The Spirit that gives direction and builds strength, the Spirit that instills knowledge and Fear-of-God.” (Isaiah 11:2 NIV)

The above prophecy from the book of Isaiah describes the coming Messiah. The Spirit of God gives wisdom, understanding, direction, knowledge, reverence, and strength. These traits are so valuable that it would make everyone want to be Christlike.

“He was despised and rejected--a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT)

The prophecy that Christ would be a suffering servant is also found in the book of Isaiah. Jesus was despised and rejected, acquainted with the deepest grief. He suffered because of our weaknesses. He was punished for our transgressions. He was whipped so we could be healed.

Many of us who desire to follow Christ get weak in the knees at the thought of suffering. This is the point where we want to turn back, to find an easier road. Yet, the path to Christlikeness is paved with hardship, rejection, sorrow, and pain. Those who pass through it develop holiness, endurance, patience, humility, and empathy. They learn to lean on God. Suffering whittles away the superfluous until the Divine is revealed in us.

Dealing with Doubt

“Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” (Ephesians 6:16 CEV)

Internet trolls use offensive comments to elicit a response from others. They often use fake identities to spread lies, hate, and fear. The best way to combat a troll is not to feed it--to ignore their comments and to block them from your site. However, trolls are persistent and devious. They often just create new fake accounts and continue their abuse.

Fear has been described as--False Evidence Appearing Real.

Fear leads to doubt--which can cause self-sabotaging behavior. Evil has always used flaming arrows of anxiety, lies, and hopelessness to infiltrate our minds. Our best defense is to hold up the shield of faith against the attacks of the Enemy. But even those who trust in the Lord can get weary in battle. This is when the Holy Spirit comes alongside us and helps us. The Spirit also leads others to hold up their shields of faith, protecting us when our own hope is flagging. Like Roman soldiers in a tortoise formation, they flank us on every side. This is how a community of believers and friends can support each other through spiritual attacks: They can be empathetic and encouraging. They can point out lies and speak truth--effectively identifying new versions of evil trolls and blocking them. Best of all, they can call on God, interceding on our behalf  when we are too weak to pray for ourselves.

Atypical Behavior

“One day some people said to Jesus, "John the Baptist's disciples fast and pray regularly, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees. Why are your disciples always eating and drinking?" (Luke 5:33 NLT)

The disciples of Jesus did not act normally--according to the standards of their culture. The community questioned Jesus about this. Why would he tolerate this atypical behavior?

In statistics, given a normal bell curve, 68% of values lie within one standard deviation of the mean. Life is always simpler for those who are part of a supermajority. Therefore, society has a habit of pushing people to be normal. Those who are atypical are often forced to fit in--whether by trying harder or pretending to be something they are not. This can be traumatic to those who don’t fit the norms. It can also be challenging to those who love and accept them as they are. Communities usually apply pressure indirectly through those who are closest to the nonconformists.

Jesus himself was atypical, and He made space in His life for misfits. He practiced unconditional love and acceptance. He was considerate to outsiders. As followers of Christ, we are called to extend grace to those who are different--to be inclusive and compassionate.

Christ Misrepresented

“For fools speak foolishness and make evil plans. They practice ungodliness and spread false teachings about the LORD. They deprive the hungry of food and give no water to the thirsty.” (Isaiah 32:6 NLT)

Christians misrepresenting Christ to justify atrocities is nothing new. War, slavery, torture, bribery, greed--all have been sanctioned by Christian leaders at some point or another. The current administration has used the Bible to justify separating refugee children from their parents. Christ did not teach us to criminalize the needy and imprison them just because they came to us for help. Jesus spoke against the hypocrisy of the religious Pharisees who exploited the weak and the helpless. He showed us grace--unmerited favor and aggressive forgiveness. How can we use His name to justify this disgrace?

It’s completely understandable why religion gets a bad reputation. Christianity has been hijacked and used as a tool by those in power to manipulate, shame, and abuse those who are powerless. This makes me and others like me frustrated and sad. I can’t imagine how much pain we are inflicting on Christ--it’s as if we are watching Jesus being whipped and nailed to the cross again and again...and doing nothing about it. I don’t know how to help remedy the situation. I wish I had the courage to confront this disgrace, to speak for the weak and voiceless, to stand up for Christ.

Coram Deo

“I am God Almighty. Live in my presence with integrity.” (Genesis 17:1 GWT)

Coram Deo is a Latin phrase which means ‘in the presence of God.’ We are always under the gaze of God, whether we are aware of it or not. It’s like walking into a store with hidden cameras everywhere. Unless there are monitors broadcasting what is being filmed, we don’t even realize that every move we make is being recorded. Sometimes I walk into a store, see myself on a screen, and think to myself: “Darn, I should have paid a bit more attention to what I put on this morning!”

“To live all of life coram Deo is to live a life of integrity. It is a life of wholeness that finds its unity and coherency in the majesty of God. A fragmented life is a life of disintegration. It is marked by inconsistency, disharmony, confusion, conflict, contradiction, and chaos. The Christian who compartmentalizes his or her life into two sections of the religious and the nonreligious has failed to grasp the big idea.” (R.C. Sproul)

When we acknowledge that we live under the gaze of God, we remember that we are accountable to Him. This influences our thoughts and behavior. We pay attention to how we present ourselves as representatives of Christ.  Compartmentalized living feels hypocritical. We learn to behave congruently at work, church, social events, and home. It feels wrong to put on airs of morality when we are with Christian friends and then let loose our carnal nature when we are with secular friends. The yearning to consistently attire ourselves in integrity, reverence, humility, and purity overtakes our desire for popularity. We are driven by a singular purpose: to spend our time and effort in ways that please God; to live coram Deo--under His influence and for His glory.

Turned Around

“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” (Psalm 84:10 NIV)

I recently read an article about an ultramarathoner who lost his bearings during a trail race. He ended up running several miles in the wrong direction. After a few miles of not seeing any other runners, he wondered if he was still on the right track--yet he kept going, not wanting to slow down and lose ground. Finally, he saw some campers and asked for directions. He was hoping they would confirm that he was still on the right path. He wasn’t, and they told him so.  He was so far off course that he had to forfeit the race. All his effort was wasted.

Even a few steps in the right direction is better than several miles in the wrong direction. Misguided productivity can be useless, even destructive. Most of us would rather be doing something than nothing, even when we feel disoriented. We may ask others for directions--but we are hoping they will validate our delusions, not question our choices.

Even one day in God’s presence, following His path, is better than years of self-indulgence. The steps we take determine the direction of our lives. Every decision leads to a set of outcomes. We get to choose how we spend this day, this hour. We can go off on our own, chasing after self-gratification or walk steadily on the road revealed by God.

“Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.” (Proverbs 4:27 NLT)

Steps to fulfillment

“God made great and marvelous promises, so his nature would become part of us. Then we could escape our evil desires and the corrupt influences of this world.” (2 Peter 1:4 CEV)

John Powell, in his book Fully Human, Fully Alive, describes the essential steps to fulfillment: to accept oneself, to be oneself, to forget oneself in loving, to believe, and to belong. I found these concepts to be enlightening but hard to digest. Thus, I will attempt to decipher it in my own words below:

Whatever we acquire, accomplish, or experience, our satisfaction seems fleeting. This world influences us to chase after the next pleasurable sensation. We continually seek for something new and exciting to fill the emptiness we feel inside of us.  We waste years striving but end up unfulfilled.

Self-Acceptance: The first step to fulfillment is to be aware of who you are, to accept yourself completely, and to love yourself compassionately. We are cognizant of our core principles. We know our strengths and weaknesses. We realize we are not perfect--that we may have to cultivate certain good habits and eliminate some bad ones. Many of us spend our entire lives without reaching even this first step. Because we are unable to accept ourselves, we continue to be imprisoned by delusion, insecurity, and dejection.

Authenticity: Once we learn self-acceptance, we are free to be authentic. We think for ourselves, we express our feelings, and we stand by our principles. We no longer solicit the approval of others. We don’t try to hide, pretend, or puff up. Instead, we present ourselves as is, unapologetically and mindfully.

Genuine Love: Self-absorption cannot lead to fulfillment. Thus, only after we learn to accept ourselves and be authentic, can we move forward to love others genuinely. This requires us to go out of ourselves and expand what and who we care about. Eventually, we develop a heightened awareness for the feelings of others and respond with empathy and compassion. We are more than ‘do-gooders’ who use altruism as a tool to feel good about themselves and seek approval.

Belief: Faith in something or someone beyond worldly pleasure imbues our life with meaning and purpose. When we are committed to our calling, devoted to a larger cause, everything we do to further this mission seems worthwhile. If we are anchored down in petty pursuits, our days are mired in worthlessness. On the other hand, when we believe in something beyond  human comprehension, we experience the transcendence of the Spirit.

Belonging: Finally, devoted to a life of meaning and purpose, we become eager to share ourselves--to commune with others. A desire to know and be known, to give and to receive, to have a sense of mutual belonging is essential to fulfillment. We retain our individuality but relish the opportunity to contribute to community.

My conclusion: None of us wants to come to the end of our lives and feel like we did a lot but accomplished nothing of purpose.  As long as the pursuit of pleasure is our primary motive, we cannot participate in anything meaningful. God intended for us to find fulfillment in HIM. Everything else is a diversion.

Studying as Worship

“True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23 NIV)

Worship allows us to move toward God with reverence and adoration. Singing, dancing, clapping, bowing, kneeling, etc. are common ways that people express devotion to God--especially in communal settings. Those who prefer private worship may have different ways to connect with the Divine. They may choose to spend time in nature, paint, run, serve, pray, write, or study.

Personally, I find study and writing draws me deeper into God. When I study--I read, contemplate, and ask the Spirit for revelation. Writing allows me to sort things out and connect the dots. This is how I commune with the Lord. I hear, listen, and take notes. Sometimes I doodle little pictures. I write out prayers. I copy scripture verses. I write out whole paragraphs of books I am reading in longhand. Why? Just the process of writing helps me understand things better. I don’t share all that I write; much of it remains private and wild. If I feel that something I have written could help others move closer to God, I share it. Yet, the original intention of studying and writing remains the same: to worship God in Spirit and truth.

Associate with God

“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” (Jeremiah 17:7 NIV)

Personal independence has long been prized by the American culture. Nevertheless, according to a recent report by CBS news, almost 40 percent of young adults in the U.S. live with their parents, step-parents, grandparents, and other relatives. I am sure that even more rely on their relatives to help pay bills, provide free childcare, or pay for big expenses.

Dependency, in any form, is often seen as a sign of immaturity. We are taught that to be an adult, one must be self-reliant. Thus, even dependence on God seems like a weakness.  

God’s standards are different from those of the world. Those who depend on God as their source of sustenance and security are blessed. They realize that it is a privilege to dwell in the house of the Lord. They have surrendered all illusions of control. Their faith is fully developed. Thus, trust and reliance on the Lord is a sign of spiritual maturity.

Rust Disease

“What I was saying is that you should not associate with someone who calls himself a brother or sister but lives contrary to all we stand for: committing immoral sexual acts, consumed with desire for more, worshiping tangible lifeless things, using profanity, drinking into oblivion, swindling and cheating others.” (1 Corinthians 5:11 VOICE)

We have four productive apple trees in our backyard.  These trees have given us quality, organic fruit for several years. Thus, when I noticed the rusty spots on the leaves last summer, I didn’t think it would affect the fruit. It did. The apples were all malformed and diseased. After some investigation, I discovered the problem: cedar apple rust disease--a fungal disease that starts off on cedar trees and spreads to nearby apple trees. We had noticed the brown galls (growths) on the cedars, but they didn’t seem to harm those trees at all. The galls did not appear on the apple trees, but the leaves and fruit were severely damaged. We should not have planted cedar trees and apple trees in proximity to each other. Now we have to choose to either cut down the cedars or spray chemicals on the apple trees.

Like trees, people can influence each other in positive or negative ways. The company we keep can determine the quality of our character. A galling trait might not injure the carrier, but it might destroy those around him. At some time or another, we have all knowingly associated with those who are immoral, greedy, materialistic, crude, or  drunk. We may even hang out with swindlers and cheaters, even though we are aware of their history. It might take years for problems to manifest themselves, but sooner or later, we will be corrupted by the rot around us. Thus, choose wisely with whom you associate--surround yourself with those who are honorable, charitable, spiritual, pure, and authentic.

Streaming the Holy Spirit

“Walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].” (Galatians 5:16 AMP)

Over the last few years, technology has changed the way we consume media. Music, videos, and audio programs are now easily accessible through streaming. When you ‘stream’ a movie or a song, you don’t own it. You temporarily get to enjoy it, and then it disappears from your devices.  Some people choose not to use streaming services. They prefer to have full rights over their media--to have control over when and where they get to use it.

When the Holy Spirit streams into our lives, we are filled with God’s presence. We cannot possess, control, or stockpile the power of the Spirit. Those who like to remain in control often opt out--choosing not to be in the flow. They prefer to be left to their own devices. Others choose to be responsive to Divine guidance. They put themselves in the path of the Spirit. All control is abandoned. The Holy Spirit floods their lives and takes over. Every aspect of their being is moved by the will of God.

Holy Spirit, stream into our lives. May Your glory rest upon us, influencing who we are and what we do. Renew us. Restore us.

Spiritual Indifference

“So then let us not sleep [in spiritual indifference] as the rest [of the world does], but let us keep wide awake [alert and cautious] and let us be sober [self-controlled, calm, and wise].” (1 Thessalonians 5:6 AMP)

Is there a God? Does it matter?

The above questions seem unimaginable to those of us who love Christ. Knowing God, recognizing His influence, and serving His purposes are central tenets of my life. However, I personally know several people who are unsure about the existence and the significance of God. Some are convinced of their own self-sufficiency; others lack strong convictions about anything; still others are preoccupied by worldly distractions, and thus, pulled away from spirituality.

Spiritual indifference may seem harmless, but it creates a callousness of our souls. It prevents us from experiencing anything beyond our base human consciousness. Apathy lulls our senses, making us insensitive to all the forces and powers that are working around us at all times.

Spiritual sensitivity requires intentional practice. First, we must tune out the world and pull away from our baser instincts.  Then, we must tune in to that which we cannot see or touch. Faith is integral to this process. Praise enlarges our view of God. Thankfulness draws us closer. Prayer allows us to commune with God and ask for help. We cannot make this journey on our own.

Lord, help us. Take away our apathy. Make us sensitive to Your Holy Spirit.  Grant us the discernment to know Your will. Teach us to follow what is good and pull away from what is evil.