Midterms. I would like time to finish my academic work. I would like time to do things outside of academic work. I would like take care of the health and development of my physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs. I would like to do this blog.
I hope that that is soon, because a portrait of me in the last two weeks is not a pretty picture. I crave balance.
I should have done this so that I could be that.
I could have been this and then I would that.
If I would have done this for them, then I would be better that with the other thing.
I think like this all the time, and I realize that, though it's not regret, it is sometimes disappointment with myself. I want to have made all of the choices.
Enter economic reasoning. You must make choices. Each choice comes at the cost of other opportunities. So what. The cost is sunk. It shouldn't affect your future choices, because you can't do anything about it.
I need to stop worrying so much about the past. I need to stop worrying so much about the future. What can I do right now, today? That's what matters.
Matthew 6:34
So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
The following video, Why I Hate Religion, and Love Jesus, has become enormously popular (over 19 million views) on the internet. I have heard it brought up a lot, but I hadn't seen it, so I thought I would watch it today to see what I think. Before I watched it, I was thinking that the message might be a little frustrating to me, but also that he may have some good thoughts, as I've seen some of his videos before.
My presumptions turned out to be correct.
The views presented in this video are very timely to the new culture of my generation. We are become decreasingly aligned with religion while, as a whole, we are becoming more spiritual. There is a lot of validity in that movement, in some ways. Religion has failed at integrity over time, as sins have lead to many failures and tragedies, both on a major historical sense, and in an everyday sense in our overal interactions with culture at large. My generation values holisticness and integrity more than ever before, and this means that they just aren't happy with a church that doesn't practice what it preaches.
The problem, of course, it that it does, and this video doesn't acknowledge it. Sure, the millions of people in the church across the world haven't always been perfect individually or corporately, but we aren't God; we are human. The thing is, even in the video, he says he loves the church, the Bible, and Jesus, and doesn't fully separate religion and Jesus. Critics of the video found the same thing, and some were angered by the fact.
A prominent Atheist made an angry response, rightfully pointing out how the two weren't really separated. He quoted a lot of scripture which pointed out how Jesus in fact set the church up to be his hand in the world, spreading the Good News until He comes back. How true that is!
A LACI speaker last night brought up the same thought, in the light of cultural redemption. He argued that God created man to live in culture. We fell, and that culture became imperfect, but Jesus came back to redeem us. This redemption is for all, and so, though accepted individual, the redeemed are here to transform our culture through the Good News and with God's love. Eventually, it will be consummated by the last coming and the new Kingdom on earth. Therefore, all our religion is is a group of people living out what Jesus wanted, and then identified as a group. Sure, our generation could reject the formal church, but they will find living for Jesus too difficult, if not impossible, on their own, and will turn to social groupings instead. What do they have? A church, or a formal religion. I see this as more of a variation on the sectarianism we already have. Some people decide that they are frustrated with the supposed sins or faults of an established church, and go off the bring their own.
I believe that instead, we should be fulfilling Christ's mission by redeeming culture, including the culture of our own churches. We don't need more splits; the church is diluted enough as it is. What we need is to call on peace and wisdom from God, so that we can reconcile our differences and attempt to stand as a united, rather than broken, universal church. As many such efforts are being made today, we continue to fracture while cultures around the world learn to work together. My opinion is this: our mission today (and throughout history since Jesus) should be redemption within the church, and the redemption of the greater culture we live in.
Many videos, articles, and comments have been made in response to the original video, often by personable and trendy persons from my generation. Here is one that resonates with me, even though it is from the Catholic church. As a Baptist, and a Christion seeking a less broken church, this fresh face from a Catholic is refreshing, and his defense of the church seems spot on and necessary to me.
Describe a time when you feel that you disappointed God with sin. What led you to that state? How did it make you feel? What punishment do you think it warranted? Did you ask for forgiveness? Were you forgiven?
There are many things in my daily life that I feel are disappointments. Just one example is all of those little moments of selfishness that come out in quick decisions throughout the day. I should have let this person go before me. I should have done this favor for him. I should have held the door open for her. I should have taken the time to see how he was doing. I shouldn't have avoided her. That kind of thing.
Realizing moments where I choose selfishness over loving and serving someone makes me feel guilty because I feel like I am not using my gifts from God for his glory, but for my comfort. Thankfully, I am covered by grace, and I don't need to hang on to this guilt, but I try and repent, and make an effort to improve myself for Him, so that next time, I can show someone love and be a light rather that being selfish.
One more thing: If you had a group of friends to be in a posse, who would they be and why?
Uhhhhhhhhhhhh, ummmmmmmmm. People who inspire me, so probably a group of some random people at Fox and from home, that are in a similar place in life to me, and demonstrate characteristics of living that life that I want to emulate.
The biggest thing that I forget to do to find peace is to ask.
There is one greater who gives to those who ask.
Job 22:21
“Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you."
Psalm 85:8
I will listen to what God the LORD says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants— but let them not turn to folly.
Luke 2:14
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
One of the biggest barriers to peace is anger, because you aren't even thinking about peace. You are blind.
Today has been full of frustrations, both my own fault, and by others. Frustration means not being able to see the good, so my day has been increasingly full of negativity. At several times that has just turned into blind anger.
Now I wouldn't be able to write this, mind you, if I was really that angry at the time, but its been so constant, it's like I am a boiling water balloon. Little pressure and I will explode, and hurt everything in my path. It's taken all I have not to explode on people for tiny things. The negative body effects are all there: the adrenaline and cortisol, the churning stomach acid, the high blood pressure and all the rest of the nasty things that happen to your body when you are angry.
These days happen, thankfully rarely. Time to pray and ask for peace before I spread the bad instead of the good.
Peace come soon so that I don't hurt someone or myself.
Hey how come I'm on the bench? I want to be out on the court.
You tell me! I want you out there on the floor.
Well then why am I not out there? Why aren't you using me?
Again, you tell me! I told you to go, but you just stood there.
Well, yeah... but I feel like you've been ignoring me.
Really? Because I'm constantly keeping my eye on the whole team. I really want us all to play.
Ok.
So why don't you go in?
Well, I... I don't think I'm ready yet.
Sure you are.
But what if I fail? What if I don't make the shot?
It will be okay. I got you. We trained for this, and I'll help you along the way.
But failure is real, and I don't want to.
Last time I played, I only made 11 out 12 baskets. And come on, I'm your coach. If you don't make it, its not always your fault. And we'll get through it.
But...
Son, all authority in the school and on this court has been given to me. Therefore, go out there and make some shots for me, using everything I have taught you. Surely I am always here on the sideline, till the end of the game. Get out there. I have faith in you.
But....
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Our faith in ourselves can be so tiny. I would fear playing, even with the confidence of a coach. I fear the Great Commission, even with the strength and faith of One much greater than I.
