VATIC Expressions
Truth, Transparency, Transformation
In Dependence
by David Eagles
I don't know anyone who wouldn't feel better-- more confident and sure-- if they knew that no matter what they were facing, they had someone they could depend on. Someone they could faithfully lean on. We put a lot of stock in being able to say this about people, so much so that when we can't, we allow that to drive our actions and responses even more than when we can say that about them. Humanistically, we love to depend; we just love doing so on our own terms, more.
Sadly, we treat God the same way. We want to depend on Him only when we want to be dependent. I caught a song the other day that in essence said God is here to do what we can't. Ultimately, this is a huge failure on the part of the perspective, heart, and make-up of man: we let God handle what we feel we can't. How gracious of us, who didn't redeem ourselves, didn't pay the going rate for our own sin, didn't wake ourselves up or keep our hearts beating and breaths coming as we slept (just to name a few), to allow a sovereign God to "pitch in" where we feel His expertise is most suitable given the circumstances. From an approach standpoint this is wrong because in looking at God through this lens, we deny Him the fear, reverence, commitment, and pure worship that is due to Him. From a relationship/intimacy standpoint this is wrong because we deny God access to what He desires most: every part of us.
Far too many miss out on truly living a Kingdom lifestyle that yields Kingdom results because we only let God reign when it's convenient, but not because it's covenant. Look at it this way: sowing to the flesh (Gal.6:8) isn't simply cursing someone out or walking around with an attitude (both of which surely fit the bill). Sowing to the flesh is also choosing a way that isn't God’s way, consulting with earth instead of Heaven, choosing what's comfortable over what makes me conformable (Rom.8:29). In doing so, we choose when God is God and where His authority is valid in our lives. Big mistake.
Too often, we don't realize how much God is grieved, or more accurately hurt, by the lack of access we grant Him in every aspect of our lives; the lack of dependence upon Him that we employ. Salvation isn't just for Sundays. Yes, God does specialize in doing what we absolutely cannot, but our scope should not limit Him to access and sovereignty in emergency or war time. It must be broadened to include His lordship in peace time, as well. God isn't just in the fixing business; He's also into preventive maintenance.
Every day should be an experience in discovery of how much God thinks about us. Not simply in terms of the number of thoughts He has towards us (Psa.40:5, 139:17, Isa.49:16), but the value of those thoughts (Jer.29:11), so much so that He has an opinion on how we do what we do when we do it. We actually hurt ourselves when we allow weights to rest on us that we weren't wired for (Matt.11:28-30). It is in no way belittling to seek God concerning everything, even (and especially) when you may be capable of a course of action that would appear to remedy what you’re going through or, at the very least, make sense for you to do. Being independent, especially as a Saint of God, means isolation from help and assistance, and seeing as how we wrestle not against things (or the people) we can see or touch (Eph.6:12), we need all the community, “touch and agree,” covering and covenant we can get our faith on. Grown-ups, adults in The Faith, are only unbothered because they trust God with everything, in everything (Pro.3:5 & 6). In all honestly, it's part of the lifestyle we've been called to. Not just relying on God to do what you can't, but choosing to trust HIM with even the things that you can do, means that you've graduated from independence to living in dependence. Welcome to a place where worry, doubt, and fear never get the better of you.
Relationships aren't measured or cemented by how you handle the good times, but how you navigate the tough times-- the uncomfortable seasons necessary for growth. Your relationship with the Lord is no different. Does God have your “all access” pass?
I love you, guys! God bless.
© 2018 David Eagles