Life + Faith

Tag: Faith

  • When You Don’t Feel Like Reading Your Bible

    When You Don’t Feel Like Reading Your Bible

    As we work through our series on the habits of the Christian life, questions come up that we ask ourselves and one another. After a recent message on Scripture, a young adult asked me a great one: how do I keep up my Bible reading when I don’t feel like it and there isn’t a desire to do it?

    Here is my response.

    First, this is a good question, because every Christian I know has gone through a time when Bible reading is more work than want. You are not alone in feeling little affection toward God’s Word at times.

    Second, a good starting point is to pray. Ask God to stir your affection for his Word. The Psalms are like this, often beginning with a cry to God and ending with praise for his help and hope.

    Third, it’s about quality time with God, not quantity. Quality often leads to quantity, but at the start we can be so concerned with keeping the streak going that we miss the basics of simply hearing from God.

    Fourth, the best Bible reading plan is the one you’re actually doing, not the one you wish you were doing. I’ve spent years failing to finish reading plans, only to feel guilty about it by the end of March. Whether it’s a verse a day or ten chapters a day, what matters is that you’re actually reading.

    Fifth, the evil one loves for us to be more focussed on results than relationship. God’s Word is given to us for relationship. If we focus too much on achievement, we will lose connection with God.

    Sixth, the flesh is weak. In Romans 7, Paul admits that he wants to do what is right and godly, yet finds himself not doing it. Many of us feel exactly that with Scripture. The desire is there, but the flesh is weak.

    Seventh, we don’t always feel God’s presence when we read God’s Word. I would love to say my affections have been stirred every time I read, but reality tells me otherwise. I suspect personality, the work of the Spirit and my own faith are all factors. We read trusting that what we are reading is from God and given for our good, so we listen as attentively as we can.

    Eighth, Bible reading is a skill. Like reading and comprehending other books for school, university, work or leisure, it takes practice. Sometimes it requires brain work to understand what is being said, and sometimes we need help and insight from others. The more we read the Bible, the easier it becomes, and some helps along the way can grow both our desire and our practice.

    Ninth, in my friendships I need to be intentional, and the same is true of my friendship with God. With a friend I might organise a coffee, a meal or a round of golf. We pick a date and make a plan for the time together. With God, I want a regular time and a regular plan for what we do in it. Some days that might be silence and stillness. Other days it might be a whole book of the Bible, or a written prayer or liturgy. There are many ideas here, but the point is intentionality.

    Tenth, don’t lose heart. God knows your desire, your needs, the time you have, the stresses you are under, the way your brain works, and what suits you in each moment and season. He wants to hear from you and speak to you! He wants us to come to him, find our rest and simply be with him, for he loves you and me just as we are.

    What would you add?

  • King Jesus: Faith to Approach

    King Jesus: Faith to Approach

    We could list hundreds of things we place our faith in each week. Everything from the chair we sit on, to the car we drive, to the close friendship we have with another, to our employer. We have faith our chair won’t collapse when we sit on it. We have faith our car will start in the morning. We have faith our friends care about us. We have faith our employer will treat us fairly and keep paying our salary.

    Faith is part of everyday life.

    In Mark 5:21-43 we meet Jairus, a man who expresses his faith in two moments as he approaches Jesus. He makes us asks the question: what does it look like to put our faith in Jesus?

    Following his restoration of a man in chaos, Jesus has crossed back over the Sea of Galilee, seemingly doing a lake tour with his entourage of disciples. Waiting in the crowd is Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, who approaches Jesus seeking help for his sick daughter who is close to death.

    As a leader in the synagogue, Jairus held an important position in the religious life of his community. He more than likely attained it because he was wealthy, and he would have been some mix between a church secretary and an executive pastor, organising the synagogue so the rabbis could conduct their ministry. Unlike other religious leaders we read about in the gospels, Jairus seems open and trusting of Jesus.

    Who of us wouldn’t do what this father is doing? His young daughter is at death’s door. He may have tried every other medical option to help her recover. He has no doubt heard of Jesus, and given the seriousness of her illness he pleads with him to come and heal her.

    Jairus is a reminder that it takes faith to approach Jesus, to approach God. He comes believing Jesus can do for his daughter what he has done for others: heal her and restore her.

    Is approaching God in this way something you do?

    Every time we come to the Father in prayer, every time we reach out to Jesus and ask for his help, every time we pray for the Spirit to move in our lives, in our circumstances, and in those around us, we are approaching in faith.

    We don’t know the answers to the prayers and requests we bring to God, but in faith we trust they are heard. In faith we trust they will be answered according to the will of God and for his good purposes. Sometimes that is hard to hold onto when the reality of our broken world plays out in front of us, as bodies fail, relationships break down, and circumstances seem to be against us.

    Like Jairus, we can approach God, coming to him in praise or to plead. In fact, Jesus wants us to. His words in Matthew 11:28 to “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” are a great comfort and assurance. Paul tells us that “through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit” (Ephesians 2:18). And John writes in 1 John 5:14-15,

    This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him.

    How great is it that we can approach God in faith!

    The reformer John Calvin called prayer “the chief exercise of faith…just as faith is born of the gospel, so through it our hearts are trained to call upon God’s name” (Institutes 3.XX.1).

    From Jairus, the lesson for us is to have faith to approach God for your needs.

    King Jesus: A Series in Mark’s Gospel
    Part 1: King Jesus: The Beginning of The Good News
    Part 2: King Jesus: The Messenger
    Part 3: King Jesus: The Love of God the Father
    Part 4: King Jesus: The Kingdom of God
    Part 5: King Jesus: The Calling of The Ordinary
    Part 6: King Jesus: Place and Purpose
    Part 7: King Jesus: The Authority Behind The Words
    Part 8: King Jesus: The Power of Jesus
    Part 9: King Jesus: The Leper
    Part 10: King Jesus: The Paralytic
    Part 11: King Jesus: Restoration From Chaos
    Part 12: King Jesus: Faith to Approach

  • Am I Called To My Work? (Part 2)

    Am I Called To My Work? (Part 2)

    This is Part 2 of a two-part series. If you haven’t read Part 1, start there.

    While we may not be uniquely called to a specific task or work, what we have been given by God is a tremendous amount of freedom. Rather than moping about, devoid of hope or identity or purpose, we find this truth can bring freedom. 

    When we misunderstand God’s call on our lives we trap ourselves. When we believe God will give us a direct, unmistakable command to take up a particular task, job, or type of work then we can (1) fear we are missing out on what God has for us if we’re unsure about what we’re doing, and (2) we can find ourselves expecting our work to satisfy and fulfil us.

    But, because of Jesus we have been called into relationship with him and find ourselves called into a new and unending identity and purpose. Through Christ we not only find freedom from sin, but this recalibrates our lives, and our work. 

    Through Christ we are set free. 

    Freedom From FOMO

    The fear of missing out can cripple us. The amount of choice we have in our career, travel, work, and relationships is nothing like has ever been seen before. Unfortunately, rather than making us happier and healthier, it can be a major cause of anxiety, stress, and indecisiveness. There is a tendency to get stuck when there is so much choice.

    Add this to believing we are called to something specific and soon enough we are worried about whether we are doing the exact thing God wants of us. 

    This can lead us to procrastination, waiting around and hoping that God will send us a lightning bolt of wisdom and tell us exactly what we’re to do. When we fall into this trap our view of God is skewed. We start believing God is hiding something from us and we’ve got to spend months and years and maybe even decades finding exactly what God has for us. It is the proverbial needle in a haystack, our life’s purpose is to find that needle and if we don’t then we may well have missed out on the calling God has for us. 

    What a terrible way of thinking. 

    What a terrible way of thinking about God. 

    Remember, God is a God who gives good gifts to his children. Matthew 7:9-11, Jesus says, 

    “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

    Next, if we think we’ve got to go out and find our purpose and calling, then we are saying that God has purposely hidden his will from us. And if we are saying that God is hiding his will or his call from us then we are worshipping a pretty mean and untruthful God. Remember these words from 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 

    “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

    God has already revealed to us his call and will for our lives. He has done this through the scriptures, and continues to do so through his scriptures. He has given us all we need to be equipped for every good work; every good work that centres our identity and purpose in him. 

    When we know that God has called us to follow him and become more like him, then we don’t miss his call. It’s not even a category of thought. There’s no fear to be had. 

    Over 20 years ago I lived in a small village that only sold one type of milk, bread, butter, jam, yogurt, and the like. The choice was limited. On coming back to Melbourne I found myself paralysed when out shopping because there was so much to choose from. I remember standing in front of the pasta sauces taking as much time deciding which type I should grab as it would’ve taken to cook the meal!

    We have a lot of choice in our world regarding our work, jobs, and careers. When our identity is in Christ and our call to follow him is priority then we are set free from this debilitating choice. We recognise we have been created by God with our own passions, desires, gifts, abilities, and skills and can pursue those things we believe we are fit for. 

    Freedom From Expectation

    Another reason why making decisions and knowing God’s call for our lives can be so hard is because we expect so much. 

    We expect to find happiness and fulfilment in almost everything we do, including our work. As we seek to consume everything in life, not missing out on a thing, we lean toward having unrealistic expectations. Like a curated social media profile, our expectations on what work will achieve for us is unrealistic. 

    But the freedom of the gospel, and in the freedom that we have in our calling to Christ, our expectations are in God. Our perspective about what work will achieve for us changes. Work is not, as The Atlantic article suggests, “the centerpiece of one’s identity and life’s purpose”. Rather, the centrepiece and identity of our life is in Christ. In the words of Jesus, he has “come to give us life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

    I do understand the book of Ecclesiastes affirms work giving us a certain satisfaction. While more famously known for comments about being meaningless, the Teacher in Ecclesiastes provides us with wisdom about work and how to view it in light of our relationship with God. In Ecclesiastes 2:24-25, after complaining about the emptiness of work, he writes, 

    “There is nothing better for a person than to eat, drink, and enjoy their work. I have seen that even this is from God’s hand, because who can eat and who can enjoy life apart from him?”

    As we are called to different responsibilities in life we find meaning in them because of God. As God gives and takes, as God provides and guides, we can find a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment in life and our work. Apart from God these things become meaningless; but with God, life and work is more than some fruitless exercise. 

    Essentially, this leads me to suggest that rather than being overly concerned about God’s plan for your life, particularly the work, job, and career aspect of that, recognise the freedom that comes from knowing him and following his way and rule. 

    God has called you to follow him, become more like him, and has given you everything you need to serve him.

    As Kevin DeYoung puts it in his book, Just Do Something, 

    “So the end of the matter is this: Love God. Obey the Scriptures. Think of others before yourself. Be Holy. Love Jesus. And as you do these things, do whatever else you like, to whomever you like, wherever you like, and you are walking in the will of God.” 

  • Am I Called To My Work? (Part 1)

    Am I Called To My Work? (Part 1)

    The majority of our week involves some form of work, whether it is paid or unpaid. You would think, then, that the intersection of our faith and work would be important and helpful to understand. 

    We live in a culture where work is to be meaningful and fulfilling, with some taking it so far that work borders on idolatry or religion. In his article for The Atlantic, Derek Thompson writes about work as the new religion of our day and times. At one point Thompson says, 

    “The decline of traditional faith…has coincided with an explosion of new atheisms. Some people worship beauty, some worship political identities, and others worship their children. But everybody worships something. And workism is among the most potent of the new religions competing for congregants.”

    Our sense of fulfilment expected through our work can be off the charts. So much so that it impacts how we view ourselves, our worth, and our purpose in living. 

    In Christian culture this is compounded when we believe that the Almighty–the great all-knowing, and all-powerful God in whom we worship–has called us to a particular task, assignment, or work. In other words, we expect to be especially “called” into some particular work. It’s common for us to hear the phrase, “God is calling me to…”, or, “I’m waiting for God’s call”, or “I just don’t know what God is calling me to do”. 

    We need to recognise this is a modern issue. We live in a time where there are more options for work and different kinds of work available to us. In previous generations, the concept of being called to a particular work wasn’t a thing. It was simply to find a job and work diligently at it. 

    Not only is it a modern issue, it’s also a Western issue (and dare I say the word privilege here too?). Millions of people around the world live in contexts where the options to choose what they do is limited. Economic, cultural, geographic, or linguistic factors limit people in the kind of work they do. The choice of what type of work they partake in is not something they can worry about. 

    In the book, The Gospel At Work, it says,

    “For most of human history, work was something you did to survive, and often there were no options to consider. Most of the time you did what your mother or father did, and that was the end of the story.” (Traeger and Gilbert, The Gospel at Work, p75)

    Today, it is more common to seek work that will bring an inner sense of fulfilment and satisfaction. Something that will fulfil life’s purpose and form one’s identity. 

    Calling In The Bible

    It shouldn’t surprise you that I believe the Bible speaks to this question of God’s call and our work. 

    In the Old Testament we find it is God who does the calling and is the instigator of the call. The majority of times God calls it is in relation to being in relationship with him. First and foremost, this call is to the community of God’s people. This is a corporate call to be in relationship with God and given to a people who God has set his love upon (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). 

    In the New Testament we find God’s call continues to be focussed on calling people into a relationship with him. Philippians 3:14 reminds us that all believers have an upward call in Christ to be with Jesus and to be like Jesus. We have been called to freedom, not bondage in Galatians 5:13. And we are reminded in 2 Timothy 1:9 that God has saved us and called us to a holy calling.

    When we read scripture we understand that God does call. And that he calls us. But this is a call centred on relationship. Relationship with him in Christ Jesus. It is a call to come and follow. To come and follow him. 

    What isn’t taught in the Old and New Testaments is to expect a specific call to a particular task, job, or profession. It just doesn’t seem to be taught in scripture.

    Another way of looking at this is how the New Testament uses the word call. It’s there over 300 times and used in 8-9 different ways. However, it’s never used in the sense of being called to a particular work. 

    How then shall we use the term call? 

    A more helpful way of understanding the call, is in the opening nine verses of 1 Corinthians. In this passage the term call is used in two ways, which are helpful for connecting our faith with our work. 

    First, Paul says he is “an apostle of Christ Jesus, called by the will of God”. Here Paul couches this call in the will of God (v1).

    Paul has been called by God to be one of his followers. He realises that it is God who has done this calling. God is the initiator, and this call leads to Paul following him. We can say the same thing. We have been called into God’s family by God himself. It is through God’s hand and initiative that we are followers of Jesus.

    Second, Paul uses the term call when he turns his attention to the church and tells them they are “called to be God’s holy people” (v2).

    This time the focus is who they, as the church in Corinth, are as God’s people. As God’s people they are to be holy. They have been called by God to be holy as individuals and together as a church. This call is a call to Christlikeness. 

    Not only that, but this call to holiness isn’t only for the church in Corinth, but for other believers too, “for those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v2).

    Given this we can certainly say that God does call, but it is a broader call. It is a call that is always about relationship with him. 

    A call to follow him. 

    A call to be more like him. 

    That’s it. 

    Rather than it be “what we do” that shapes our identity, it is “who we follow”. In recognising Christ as the identity-shaper in our lives then we will better understand our purpose. A purpose that is on display no matter what particular work, task, or job we perform. 

    Continue on to Part 2.

  • From Milk to Meat

    From Milk to Meat

    Growth in faith is a slow and patient work that is more than likely seen in the rearview mirror. 

    As parents the growth of children into bigger children is also a slow, patient process that requires resources we didn’t realise we had before they arrived. And it’s obvious to anyone who has had a newborn that feeding them is one of the priority tasks of parents. Feeding babies their milk is a multiple times per day event that often becomes an all in effort for the child to settle, be filled, and sleep in due course. At every feed there is very little evidence of immediate growth. It’s happening before our eyes but it’s not like the child suddenly grows centimetres after each feed. It’s a slow and patient process. 

    This is the case with our walk with Jesus. 

    What we need when we start out in faith is consistent milk that we can suckle down to help us grow. Day to day it might look like not much is changing. Week to week it might look like not much is progressing. Soon enough, however, the consistent bottle of God’s Word and prayer gives growth and thickness to our walk with Jesus. 

    Milk for Beginners

    When Paul was writing to the church in Corinth he expressed how he’d been committed to feeding them appropriately. This of course is not physical food but the food and sustenance of the gospel and the scriptures. He writes in 1 Corinthians 3:2, 

    “I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.”

    Paul recognised that the maturity of a believer comes in time, through appropriate teaching and experience. 

    Feeding a child can be all sorts of fun. Depending on our mood and the temperament of a child it can be a whole lot of pain too. The time of moving from milk to solids is among battles of teething, and the ability to chew and swallow solid food needs to be tested with puree or mashed foods. If it is taken then we know we’re on the way to solid food. If it isn’t, then it’s still time for milk before trying again. 

    Reading Maturity in Others

    This is what it’s like for us, and those around us in our churches. The state of maturity can be observed, although it is more of an art than a tick-the-box process. It involves having trusted people around us, those ahead of us in the faith, asking good questions, and an openness and vulnerability to the patient challenge of Christian maturity. 

    Before passing comment on where others are at we ought to examine ourselves and assess whether we are able to digest the solid food first. Often, Christian maturity can be disguised in all sorts of religiosity that might need to be peeled back like the layers of an onion before it’s seen. Sure, some things can seem obvious to those of us who have been walking with Jesus for a while, but in others it is more subtle. 

    To add to the difficulty of helping people mature in the faith is that adult new believers can expect themselves to be more mature than their junior counterparts. This might cause tension within this person, or in those who are discipling this new believer.

    Stuck on Milk

    The writer to the Hebrews uses this milk metaphor when writing his sermon as well. This time it’s focussed on those who have been walking in faith for some time but are stuck in immaturity. Hebrews 5:12 reads, 

    “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!”

    Those who have been walking with Jesus for some time should be more mature in faith than they actually are. The writer says some of these folk should be teachers but they need the foundational truths explained to them all over again. They have regressed to milk after tasting the solid food of the Word of God and gospel. 

    It’s a funny thought, isn’t it? To think about our own eating and going back to milk and mashed pumpkin having been able to chew through steak and boiled vegetables. Ironically, in today’s world, many make the choice to have the protein shake and avoid having the slow but nutritious solid food. 

    Is that the story we find ourselves in too? 

    Instead of eating the solid food provided for us in the scriptures we are trying to drink a quick protein shake of the Word to get us through to the next meal? 

    It’s an appropriate picture of what we do in our own walk with God. 

    Instead of being patient with the slow and digestive work of the Word and prayer we want the quick devotional and prayer that will take all of seven minutes. It might be suitable for a season, but it could be that we’re neglecting where we should be. We might actually need to go back to the gospel and hear the message of Christ. To be refreshed in the elementary truths again so we can keep growing our maturity and communion with God.

    As you think about the developmental milestones of your faith, where would you place yourself? Is it worth asking a trusted friend about what they see? 

    The point is not to be discouraging at how we may have stalled in our growth in God, but it’s an encouragement to draw us back to the meat that holds our faith and walk with Jesus together.