Dallas Willard said, “You are a soul made by God, made for God, and made to need God, which means you were not made to be self-sufficient.” The soul seeks to connect us with other people, creation, and God himself.
Since the creation of man, we have grappled with the tension between societal expectations and God’s calling for us. We often fear showing our true selves, the person God has designed us to be. But what does a Christian look like? A Christian is not someone who is perfect and never does wrong, but rather someone who never ceases to draw closer to God and be a light for His kingdom. A Christian is someone who will inevitably stumble and fall but will get up, dust himself off, and learn from his mistakes. A Christian can do this because the Holy Spirit resides within, constantly repairing us. A Christian understands that any good we do comes from the Holy Spirit that dwells within us and not from our own selfish efforts. We do not think God will love us because we are good, but God’s love will make us good.
Unfortunately, the culture in which we live is influencing or programming us. This is why it is essential to look to our faith to understand everyday life. This can be done by actively seeking to understand and apply biblical principles in our interactions with others, including at work and leisure activities. For instance, you can start your day with a prayer, read a chapter from the Bible during your lunch break, or apply the principles of love and forgiveness in your interactions with colleagues. Paul talks of every Christian being in an intense spiritual battle in Ephesians 6:12 when he writes, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Christians cannot afford to continue sleepwalking their way through contemporary culture, letting our lives, especially our imaginations, become conformed to culturally devised myths, each of which promises more than it can deliver. We need to stop turning to worldly solutions, programs, and methods such as materialism, self-help gurus, or societal norms that appear to provide answers to spiritual problems. Instead, we must learn to read the Bible and find truth in God’s Word.
Unfortunately, instead of looking to Scripture for truthful answers, we tend to interpret the Bible to match our experience. We attempt to justify our actions through Scripture, even if it means taking Scripture out of context. I have a close relative who once told me that he believes in God but that he believes what he wants to believe in the Bible. He didn’t necessarily believe in ALL of God’s Word, just the things that were convenient to his choices. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” This ‘renewing of your mind’ refers to a change in your thinking and perspective, aligning it with God’s truth and will.
If you stumble and fall, know that the Holy Spirit is within you and is constantly repairing you. So, pick yourself up and begin over again. Samuel Beckett said, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” This is the essence of perseverance in faith-to keep trying, keep failing, and keep getting up, knowing that the Holy Spirit is with us every step of the way.
