Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Barriers & Bad Guys (CIC2)

I have never been in a high speed police chase, really, I have never been in a slow speed police chase either. In fact, I don’t know of a time that I have seen the sirens in the rear view mirror, muttered something unnecessary, and then pulled over. Can you imagine the intensity and adrenaline rush you must feel during that though? I don’t want to get off topic. The point I am making in this is that often times during high speed police chases there are certain precautions taken to capture the “bad” guy or gal. A police officer may start the chase, and he calls for backup, some help because this could get bad very quickly. Even with other cars involved, there is the potential that the “bad” guy gets away, so as part of the backup, many times, they will call in a helicopter.

A helicopter gives a better perspective because it doesn’t have to worry about traffic, lights, roads (or lack thereof), buildings, and other things that can hinder a police car’s perspective from seeing the fugitive. The perspective and direction the helicopter gives often helps apprehend a tricky suspect and usually brings a dangerous chase to an end with more safety.

Helicopters sure are handy.

Yesterday I talked about seeking experience in our learning and as we try to expand our understanding of God we should seek that experience with Him first and not solely from other peoples perspectives. The problem with perspective is that it can be partial. One person’s perspective might see one thing, while someone in a different location may see something else. Different perspective is great, I like hearing from other people because of the growth it can bring. However, we have to make sure that our first priority is to ask God to reveal His perspective on situation. His perspective should be our priority.

I have many friends that I seek their perspective on things. Things I need help thinking through, things I need clarity on, things that are beyond my understanding. I am striving to first pray and seek God’s perspective. I have found in that as I seek Him first I receive answers that are beyond me. If I go from there and seek others perspective, I often have confirmation and in that even more confidence as I move forward. There are matters that because God has revealed Himself in my situations I move forward as well because He has given me the assurance to do so.

In these times of God speaking His perspective there are also times that he reveals something that defies my perspective. What I mean is, judging a situation from my perspective is I can work to make rational, clear, and wonderful judgment calls. However, from where He is (that being EVERYWHERE) He shows me that there is a different plan that will work out for my betterment but I have to trust Him. I have had a lot of, “But God this is a dead end.” “Just trust me!” moments. He hasn’t failed.

If we continually rely on our understanding (or manmade perspective) of God we will find that there are barriers continually restricting us in our spiritual life. We must rely on His Spirit to guide us. We can’t figure out God (or the life He wants us to have) without God telling us, so we should stop trying to figure Him (and these situations) out without His consultation.

Are our lives able to be lived out in a godly way by our own abilities, assuming that we have not developed a completely submitted and Spiritually trained life? The most effective way for us to externally express the inward life that He has given us is to fully rely on His Spirit.

Once again, I do not suggest that we should not rely on other perspectives from other people. From books, radio, schooling, conversations, and so forth, my point is that we should not solely rely on them or even make them our primary source for guidance. We will gain greater insight from Him. When we begin to rely on others whose perspective is different but similarly restricted as ours, we begin to put up barriers on our spiritual walk. We have enough to deal with in life, we have “bad” guys running amok and wanting to kill us, steal from us, and destroy us we don’t need any more barriers.

Tomorrow we will start looking at some of these barriers.

2 Corinthians 2:10-16

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