Sometimes I think we expect deep significant spiritual change not because we are Christian but because we are American. Americans live in a world of constant change and we are taught by our culture, our media, our capitalism, and our churches to embrace and encourage and enjoy change as if it will somehow bring more meaning and purpose to our life….always. It is expected, in many places in the American church that if God will do something significant in our lives, it will be some sort of radical (and thus dramatic) change. There is, hardly ever, in my experience, the thought that God would cause one to continue on and persevere, and not change dramatically (apart from maybe your perspective on that change). I would dare to say, it is almost as though the God of the American church, were only a God of change. I do not think the Bible paints a picture of a God who is constantly changing nor one who is asking his people to constantly evolve to be more spiritual or more kingdom-oriented, or more ‘His people.’ God’s character does not change (though perhaps revealed differently at different times), and God’s Word does not change in substance (though perhaps in form). Let me caveat here quickly; there are two things that I am not saying! First, I am not suggesting that God does not ask or call his people to radical change sometimes: a quick glance at scripture and church history will quickly dispel any idea that God simply lets it all plod along to some unforeseen time when he’ll just end it. Secondly, I am not suggesting that the daily struggle with sin for believers does not require fighting and changing (of our heart, character, conditions, and/or situation). It does! We struggle to see what God would have for us and for His church (in any specific context) and to conquer sin and its effects in our lives and the lives of those around us. What I am saying here is simply that, I see in the American church a propensity to assume that in order to be more spiritual we must make some radical or siginificant change, always. We assume that God would more likely work that way and that any sort of normal plodding along or continuation in our current trajectory would be devoid of any spiritual significance. If we get dissatisfied with something in our lives, we have an automatic assumption then that something should change…I’m not sure God would always agree (or would ask us to). There is sometimes benefit, growth and even intense spiritual ‘opportunity’ in the the mundane and the constant and the continuation of our lives as they are. There is character built there, in faith! Not somewhere else (neccesarily). We should not be so quick to assume when we reach a rough spot or an uncomfortable spot or some sense of dissatisfaction (mild or severe) that we need to change something. That may be the case, but equally it may be that we just need to keep walking, in our current trajectory and in our current hope, and God will bless us there too.
Thoughts?
