How to Live Right When Your Life Goes Wrong by Leslie Vernick – The common denominator in all of our destructive behaviors is that we are acting on something that is not true. Gain a new perspective on the troubles God allows in your life. Come on a journey of personal growth and spiritual discovery as your heart is drawn back to a central tenet of the Gospel: Truth isn’t something you learn, but Someone you know. And the truth will set you free.
[31] So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, [32] and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 ESV)
“So often we think of repentance as a prerequisite to receiving God’s love. We tell ourselves that we need to change first, and then we will be accepted and forgiven by God. But the truth is that repentance is a response to God’s character – his holiness, his love, his kindness, and his grace.” (pg. 123)
[4] But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, [5] even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— [6] and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, [7] so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. [8] For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, [9] not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:4-9 ESV)
“Paul tells us that we are saved by grace and not by our efforts to change and “do it right.” Salvation is a gift that demonstrates the outrageous kindness of a holy and loving God. There is nothing we can do to earn it. We must simply receive it. However, receiving a gift of such magnitude ought to elicit a response from the depths of our heart.” (pg. 123)
[44] Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. [45] You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. [46] You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. [47] Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” [48] And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:44-48 ESV)
What is your hearts usual response to the truth of God’s Word? Do you find yourself accepting the concept of God’s truth, but struggling to live it out?
“When we are in a relationship with God we are in the very presence of Truth. We cannot stand in his presence and remain neutral. In the final step of the TRUTH Principle, our hearts must respond to the truth revealed by God and his Word. We will either bow to God and his truth by changing (repenting), or we will leave his presence and harden our heart.” (pg. 124) [The author is applying a physical picture to a spiritual act. To bow is to trust and obey, and to leave his presence is to ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Because Christ is in us, we cannot physically leave his presence.]
There are a couple common ways we ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Rebellion and false repentance, or penance, can lead to great frustration, pain, and sorrow.
Rebellion
A choice to make –
- Rebel: opposing or taking arms against a government or ruler
- Revolutionary: constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change
Discuss the attributes of each. Which would you prefer to be?
“Sometimes, even as Christians, we harden our hearts and refuse to yield to God’s right to correct and rule us.” (pg. 125)
O LORD, do not your eyes look for truth? You have struck them down, but they felt no anguish; you have consumed them, but they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to repent. (Jeremiah 5:3 ESV emphasis added)
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, [25] because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. (Romans 1:24-25 ESV emphasis added)
“…It is so important for us to take what we learn about God’s ways and character and allow it to be transformed from head-based knowledge to heart-based trust. For [some] their entire experience of Christianity could be described as a rule book of dos and don’ts. They always follow the rules, but deep inside, their heart is filled with pride and self-righteousness. They know nothing of the life-giving faith that makes obedience a joy instead of an obligation. Their relationship with God is intellectual not personal.” (pgs. 125-126) Have you ever tried to explain the joy of obedience to someone?
False Repentance: Penance
“As Christians we often confuse repentance with penance. We see our sin and we’re horrified that we’re capable of it. This horror comes from the belief that we are basically good people who occasionally do wrong. Our response is to try to do better so we don’t feel so badly about ourselves. But penance is man-centered, not God-centered. Penance is an attempt to comfort our wounded pride with the thought that we can do better and earn God’s forgiveness. The truth is that we are sinful people. Why, then, should we be so horrified when we sin?” (pg. 126) What are the dangers of trying to keep track of whether God should be happy with us, or not?
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. [25] For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. [26] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? (Matthew 16:24-26 ESV)
Sin always hinders us from accepting God’s best for us. God never withdraws his grace from us but we can choose to ignore his voice as he hopes to correct our path. Vernick wrote, “When we see our sin but make no effort to change, then how has seeing it profited us or our relationship? Nothing has changed, even if we feel sad or guilty.” (pg. 133)
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, [2] complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. [3] Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. [4] Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. [5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:1-11 ESV)
“Although the Holy Spirit empowers us to change, it is our responsive love for God that motivates us to change. As we grow in faith, we desire to please him more than we desire to please ourselves. When we repent, our desires change. It’s not that we don’t desire the old things any longer; it’s that we have come to love and desire Jesus more.” (pg. 134)
As our hearts respond to the encouragement in Christ, his loving comfort, and participation in the Spirit, we will experience the truth that sets us free. Please share your experience in Christ’s freedom.
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