Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Lies.Truth&Trusting by Robbie


Truth and Trusting God

Before moving on to more truths that are essential to our spiritual, emotional and mental well-being, I’d like to pause and spend a few minutes reflecting on how we can embrace the truths we are learning.  It is one thing to ‘know’ the truth and it’s another thing to embrace it and act upon it.  I believe the former is infinitely easier than the latter.  So, how do we refute the lies and embrace the truth?  Ultimately, it is Jesus, who is Truth Himself, who gives us the ability to embrace truth.  But we can take a few practical steps in the right direction as well.  And it starts with asking yourself this question:  Am I trusting God – really?

Recent events in my life have shown me that I am not trusting God as much as I thought.  Persistent worries about what might happen, gnawing regrets of past choices, endless ‘task lists,’ constant planning and a prevalent sense of burden and discontent proves to me that I am not trusting every aspect of my life to God.  During a recent LifeCare Great Exchange weekend ‘seminar,’ I had the opportunity to symbolically put my heart at the foot of the cross.  My heart was represented by a paper heart torn into pieces by the world, my sin nature and circumstances.  I found I couldn’t do it.  I couldn’t give Jesus my heart, even though a whole, healthy heart was waiting at the foot of the cross for me to pick up in place of my own.

Why couldn’t I do it?  Plain and simple, I don’t really trust him in all areas of my life.  I still find myself trusting in lies rather than the truth.  I still find myself knowing but not embracing the truths we are learning.  My friend and mentor, Joann, has helped me see that I am trusting in something - but unfortunately it is not God.  It is worldly idols.  And they come in all shapes and sizes:  food, career, fame, leisure, physical image, t.v., people (children, spouses or movie stars), envy of perceived Hollywood lifestyles, things (bigger house, new car, latest clothing styles), and on and on it goes.

And we look to those idols to fill those empty holes:  loneliness, insignificance, rejection, need for approval, acceptance, love…you fill in the blank.  They don’t, of course, fill the need.  But it often seems there is no other place to turn, especially if you are going through a season when God’s presence in your life is not obvious to you.  And those things do satisfy the desire to ‘feel better for the moment.’  That’s why idols are so dangerous - they give the illusion of filling the need because they make us feel better for an instant.  But the need returns and we turn back to the food or the shopping or an ‘A’ on our exam for another ‘fix’.  Unfortunately, the ‘fixes’ never stop. 

So, sometimes we need to step back and look the idols directly in the face and say ‘Enough!’  Stop.  Step out of denial.  Look your need square in the face.  One need at a time; one idol at a time.  Then, when some of those idols are cleared out of the way, we can begin to move from merely knowing the truth to embracing it - because we’ve cleared the way so that God’s voice can speak to us. 

Back to the weekend….I realized that I couldn’t give my whole heart to God because I don’t believe he is trustworthy.  It is an overwhelming thought to give your whole self to someone you’re not 100% sure you can trust.  But I do know he is the only hope for filling those holes of need, so I want to trust him.  But how?  One step at a time.  As the truth comes to us bit by bit, piece by piece, so I can give him my heart to him one broken piece at a time, one idol at a time.  One obstacle at a time, as 1 Corinthians 10:5 (NLT) says, “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”

My friend, Joann, shared with me a tool for learning to trust God, and I want to share that with you.

A Practical Way to Trusting in God
While Joann was contemplating how to trust God, she went to the Random House Dictionary and found this definition of trust.
  1. unquestioning belief in the integrity, strength, or ability of a person or thing
  2. confident expectation
  3. a person or thing that can be relied upon
  4. the responsibility of a person in whom confidence or authority is placed
  5. charge or custody

I encourage you spend some time pondering the different aspects of trust in relation to God and to idols.  When you find yourself relying on the lies and worldly idols to soothe your pain and fill your needs, think about this:
    • Is this idol something I believe in without questioning its integrity, strength or ability?
    • Can I rely upon this idol?
    • What will happen if I give this idol the authority to handle this problem or need?
    • What will happen if I give this idol custody of my thoughts and feelings?

To go a little deeper, contemplate the following Random House Dictionary definitions in relation to the ‘idol lies’ that are so hard to demolish:

Idol
  1. an image, as a statue, worshipped as a deity
  2. any person or thing devotedly admired

Devoted
  1. zealous or ardent in attachment
  2. consecrated or dedicated

Do you really want to be zealously attached to a lie?  None of us do, but it is hard to ‘turn off’ a lifetime of coping mechanisms.  We can, however, move the mountain one stone at a time.  To start the dismantling process, ask yourself the questions outlined above each time a lie or an idol rears its ugly head. 

Let’s take an example: you are feeling lonely and craving a piece of cake to soothe the immediate pain.  Before taking that cake, ask yourself these questions:
  • Do I have an unquestionable belief that this piece of cake will make me feel less lonely?
  • Can I rely on this piece of cake to make me feel less lonely?
  • What will happen if I give this piece of cake the authority to help me?
  • What will happen if I give this piece of cake custody of my thoughts and feelings?

It seems silly, doesn’t it, to give a piece of cake custody of our thoughts and feelings?  But isn’t that what we do – rely upon it to make us feel better, feel less lonely? 

Perhaps another example will help:  you are feeling inadequate and want the approval of your boss to make you feel better about yourself.  Ask these questions:
  • Do I have an unquestionable belief that my boss’s thoughts of me will make me feel better about myself?
  • Can I rely upon my boss to make me feel significant?
  • What will happen if I give my boss the authority to help me feel competent?
  • What will happen if I give my boss custody of my thoughts and feelings?

In view of these questions, it no longer seems reasonable to hand over your feelings about yourself to your boss, friend or spouse.   That is giving them power over your feelings, your thoughts and your life. 

So, let’s turn to the One who can meet all our needs and ask those same questions in relation to Him:
  • Do I have an unquestionable belief that God will make me feel less lonely / better about myself?
  • Can I rely upon God to make me feel less lonely / significant / competent?
  • What will happen if I give God the authority to help me?
  • What will happen if I give God custody of my thoughts and feelings of insignificance?

One final definition:  custody means guardianship or care.  Re-read the last question.  What will happen if you give God guardianship and care of your thoughts and feelings?  Your response to that and any of the other questions will help illuminate where you are on your trust-journey.  Perhaps you don’t think things will change if you give God authority to help you.  Or you think things will get worse.  Start there.  Talk with him about it.  Explore the bible, seeking verses to support or refute your answer.  Talk to wise counsel.

Sometimes we are able to wholeheartedly place our trust in God, but more often than not, it is bit by bit, one piece of our heart at a time.  But I believe this is the type of sacrifice God desires, as stated in Romans 12:1-2a (The Message):  So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out.”

If we begin to apply this to each and every situation involving lies and idol worship, we will feel the joy and peace of God come into our lives – situation by situation.  Always remember, God is please with every effort you make toward right-thinking.  “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”  Jeremiah 31:3




Questions
  1. Imagine yourself giving the pieces of your heart to God.  How does that make you feel?
  2. Discuss what struck you the most on the definitions provided (trust, idol, devoted).
  3. Identify some of the idols and lies that you are currently battling.  Choose one idol and walk through the questions provided – first using the set of questions where the idol meets your need and then using the set of questions where God meets your needs.

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