The Wonder We Miss
By David Brenneman
1 Corinthians 2:9 NASB
We live in an unnecessarily overcomplicated world. Really? Yes, we do. In 30 years we have been trained and had it ingrained in us that we need to breathe information every waking moment. Be honest with yourself here. Look at your behavior. The only people not crushed by the rushing to obtain new thoughts, ideas, events, in this world are either third world countries or the Amish.
Crushed it is. But...is this something new or is is something we have allowed to get this bad because we see the rush others get from it?
My friend, really think about that.
Look at the lives of the Disciples 2,000 years ago. Even then, in that 'simpler time' what was it the practice of their Master to make them do? Don't miss that word. 'Make' them do.
Jesus would often get away by Himself to talk with His Father. No distractions, just Him and His Father. He would teach them to do the same. It was to build THEIR relationship with His Father.
When we are intentional on removing distractions from our lives then we often feel like something is missing. We have time and don't know what to do with it.
The truth is we will never just have our go-to solution to that situation be to spend time in prayer. We just won't. Why? Our sin nature wants us to avoid holiness because it shines its light on the dirt of sin.
Where's this going? I thought you were talking about missing something wonderful?
When our priorities are messed up by information overload we tend to want to isolate ourselves. We will throw Jesus into that list of people we avoid.
But oh the fruits to enjoy when we push through and get intentional in spending time in God's Word. In prayer with Jesus.
We learn it's ok to let our guard down. Yes, I said it. We are a defensive people. We put up walls to other people all the time. Jesus included. We do this in reaction to a painful experience. The thing is...my friend...God's enemy is the one to convince us to include Jesus.
We miss out on healing when we include our Great Physician.
We miss out on what could be because of the way we make our lives overly busy.
We create anxiety where none needs to be.
We believe we have a better grasp of the situation than God in any and all areas of our lives so we stop really communicating with Him. We send Him a list of wants and desires in prayer. As if He were our employee. Really?
There's a truth to habits that everyone needs to realize. If you desire to get rid of one you MUST replace it with something or you WILL go back to it. Same goes for behaviors.
The Gospels show us that as their Master, Jesus was replacing their habits and behaviors just as much as He was teaching them how to live.
Daring to ask Jesus to show me more changed my life. It's not too unlike the question that the Disciples asked Jesus at the beginning of their training. "Where are you staying?"
You want to learn something that will actually help you? Replace your desires for what's important to Jesus.
Don't look at it as losing out on things that are fun. You aren't. You listened to the call of the Holy Spirit and came to Christ. He saved you. This world is not our home now. We are visiting only. The wonders that God has shown me happened because I let go of things and areas of my life.
I have never met anyone in my life who appreciated a beautiful sunrise or sunset and then immediately regretted it and wished they could look up sports scores or the latest news instead.
We chose to follow along with the world in their insatiable desire for information. We have to choose to replace it with what's important to our Master, our Savior.
I probably shouldn't but I laugh, at least to myself, when I see someone have a 'Squirrel!' moment. You know, when someone is so intent on something and out of nowhere something wonderful or maybe not so wonderful catches their eye and their train of thought is totally derailed.
My friend, the most powerful thing you can do in your life is within you to do. Spending time with Jesus. David was known as a man after God's own heart. How did he get to be that way? Was he better than you or I? No. He was not. In fact prior to the Holy Spirit coming as it is described in the book of Acts, David was just himself before God. No indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Same with Daniel. They had the desire to know the Lord and to obey. The Lord Jesus honored that. He came closer to them. He can and will do the same with us. That's Scripture. We draw near to Him He will draw near to us.
Let go of what's driving you if it isn't a better relationship with Jesus. Work, money, security, luxury, everything that's of the world is a distraction from really having a right relationship with Jesus. Jesus often got away. He left the cares of this world to be intentionally undistracted in His time with His Father.
We get anxious about so many things and we lose the God moment because of it.
Take time to unplug from the world...yes...do that...but be also intentional in spending that time with Jesus. Don't rush back afterwards to try to see what you missed. Hate to break it to you but everyone who is dead doesn't care about what they have missed that's happened since they have been gone. Everyone who has died has only 1 thing on their minds. For those who came to Christ it's their desire to worship Him. For those who did not, it's that they missed their chance and cannot get another. Regret.
Nobody has ever regretted spending more time with Jesus. Missing peace? The answer is Jesus. Missing hope? The answer is Jesus. Have anxiety? The answer is Jesus. The answer to whatever you face in your life...is Jesus.
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