RELIGIOUS FOG

How much of Evangelical Christianity is merely a religious fog?   There seems to be a mist out there that is difficult for those who are trying to navigate through life.  I wonder as Christians how much we have contributed to the spiritual dew point.  Unfortunately we have often substituted Christian culture for real Christianity.  Evangelical Christianity can be cloaked in its own language with religious talk and religious activity.  Good intentioned believers who could never take their message into a hostile or secular arena.

So how does this religious fog happen?  John Eldridge writes in his book "Beautiful Outlaw" about how the religious is operating.  I will list those areas where we have a tendency to pull out the fog machine.

1. We live a clean life, attend church faithfully and are considered to be good Christians but fail to really fall in love with Jesus.

2. Knowing about God is substituted for knowing God.  Many worship at the altar of knowledge assuming knowledge alone transforms hearts.

3.  Active service is confused with commitment to Christ.  If we are only busy doing for Christ we may miss knowing Christ.

4.  The holiness of God is taught by making Him unknowable or untouchable.  God becomes just a philosophical, intellectual, existential, and an aloof being, instead of a personal approachable and intimate God.

5.  Holiness is substituted with rule-keeping.  This is sort of a technical righteousness based on external expectations rather than internal convictions. We are so worried about what others think we fail to take a risk.

These kinds of behaviors can inoculate people against Jesus.  Certainly Jesus broke the mold.  Maybe we should?

Loneliness

There is no doubt that all of us periodically struggle with loneliness.  It is a simple fact that comes with human existence.  To be missed, or misunderstood. to be judged unfairly. To be wanted for what you can do, rather than who you are. To go on for years unappreciated, even unknown by those closest to you.

For those of us in any leadership capacity, we run the risk of being lonely with greater frequency.  The saying that, "It's lonely at the top", is really true.  I am reminded of the time when Jesus expressed his frustration with Philip in John 14.  Philip said, Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don"t you know me Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?"
This is such a microcausm of what Jesus dealt with all the way to the cross.  Even his 3 closest friends couldn't stay awake with him in Gethsemene.  Imagine living your entire life in a world where the people closest to you don't get you.

What I have had to learn in my own life is this.  When I am feeling the most misunderstood and lonely, I have learned to take advantage of those times to draw closer to the one who does really understand.  Loneliness is a test of whether we really mean what we say when we call Jesus our best friend.