Do you know any of those endlessly chirpy positive thinking types? You know, the ones that think that if you believe it, you will make it happen? And then they misappropriate a few Bible verses to make it all sound Godly? Sorta like Oprah. Yeah, me too. And I want to just slap them silly. Because you know what, while there is a kernel of truth within the lies, it is still a lie. And the very WORST lies, the ones that the enemy uses to hurt us the most, are almost always the ones that begin with a truth.
It is true that God does not make junk. I firmly believe that everyone has their niche. I do not disbelieve that as one seeks after God more and more, then God will reveal a plan perfectly tailored to that persons individual gifts. Here is where it breaks down though. Almost always these teachers are putting the cart before the horse. They are making the fruit of an honest walk with God into the object of desire itself. Scripture says that if we delight in the Lord, then He will give us the desires of our hearts. Psalm 37: 4. This is absolutely, positively one of my favorite Bible verses of all time. I take it to mean that as I seek after God, He will align MY will with HIS will. He will burn away the stuff that I want for all the wrong reasons and the stuff that I think that I really need, but actually would not if those things really came to pass. And, ultimately, in HIS time and in HIS way, HE will give us what He knows will bring us the most joy. It will not be a result of "believing in yourself" and "thinking positively". No, it will be the fruit of what the Westminster Catechism states is really our chief purpose during our stay on earth; that being to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
Where this hurts people is when they go to some Christian pep rally or go to some self-appointed "life coach" who tells them that all they have to do is "think positively" and the big plan will unfold. What happens is that they put God in the position of doing our bidding instead of humbling ourselves before Him and being willing to (gulp!) die to self. God will not let us raise ourselves up as objects of our own ego. At least not for very long. He will especially not appreciate being used so that we can make the our own flesh sound far more spiritual than it actually is.
I was very cynical in my own life that God would ever give me anything that I wanted because I had fallen prey to this kind of thinking at one point in time and of course it hadn't worked. There is no "eight point plan" that will "help God's plan for your life unfold." There is only seeking after God's heart and asking Him questions as they arise and seeking truth. The devil, of course wanted me to think that it was because God wanted me to suffer. Not true. It is all a matter of motive.
"Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and All these things will be added unto You" (Matthew 6:33). This just about sums it up. It's not about "overcoming blockages to peak performance"; it's about seeking to be conformed to the mind of Christ. Which admittedly isn't all the rage among many Christians today. Many are far more interested in what God can do for them than in how they can humble themselves before God to be used by Him.
Yes, this is my vent for the day. How perfectly well timed for the same date as the end of the Oprah Winfrey Show.
I've often pondered this same issues. God granting the desires of our heart sounds so much like a wish list for Santa Claus. The fulfillment of that promise comes once we figure out how to line up our desires with God's plan.
ReplyDeleteI've known since I was little that God called me into ministry (primarily music ministry). Since I'm not a great singer or musician, I've squandered many many years doing the wrong thing by trying to live out that calling on my own terms (speech/com major with plans to be a radio DJ, managing a rock band for a couple years, teaching teens how to lead worship). It's not that the things I was doing were bad things - it's just not what God had in mind. It's only recently that I've begun to listen to what God has designed.
I also think that too many Christians use the "think positive" mantra as an alternative to Philippians 4:8. I think I'd rather follow the Biblical teaching than some quasi-spiritual mumbo jumbo advice. Great post - even if it is a rant.
I've discovered that usually God's ideas are usually much better than my own. The closer I get to God, the more I want the same things that He wants.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of our American church is simply asking God to put his seal of approval on our plans as long as there is nothing overtly unethical about them.
I've kinda learned the hard way that it doesn't work like this. But because of a lot of the positive thinking garbage, my first conclusion was not that I had the wrong motives, but that it was simply more proof that I was invisible to God (which of course is not true)