R3: radical, revolutionary, different

Sometimes I get this idea that it would be better to run away from my problems by sinning than to confront them with God. I’m not sure why I feel this way. Sometimes, I suppose, it’s just cowardice on my part – I am simply afraid of the consequences (or more often the solution). Sometimes it’s enjoyment of my sin – let’s face it, some sin is actually fun (at least short-term).

But a lot of times I just want to give into my temptations because it’s easier. I’m not so much evil as I am lazy. I know if I give into my temptation I will feel better for a while. It’s never permanent of course, and before too long I’m right back where I was. But when I’m on the cusp of sinning, it SEEMS easier. It seems like a good idea. Just like the alcoholic who thinks he can handle “just one drink”, I often think I’ll be able to handle “just one sin”. But I can’t.

I hear people talk about grace, and how once you accept Jesus you become a saint. I even hear people talk about how you need to have good deeds to overcome your sins.

But if I’m honest, those things don’t always help me. I still struggle, and I still sin.

The only answer I have is this: God needs to be the center of my life. I know that when I keep him in the center, I am a lot less likely to sin. When I put something else in the center, it becomes easier to run with sin away from God.

 “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.” (Luke 11: 46)

As I searched to understand God, I started to read some blogs on the internet. Like all things in life, there are good blogs and bad blogs. But I have to admit, I was often surprised by the anger, bitterness, and argumentativeness with which so many Christian blogs are written. I almost always stop reading these blogs. “How can someone so angry teach me of God’s love?” I ask myself.

Before I started this blog, I gave a lot of consideration to what my motives were. Why was I writing? What was my purpose? Certainly I didn’t have anything to offer. After all, I’m not a Bible scholar, I’m not a brilliant theologian – I’m just a guy that wants to know who God is.

Of course being “just a guy” often means I’m no different than anyone else. I can be every bit as angry, bitter, and argumentative as the next guy. But Jesus wasn’t. Jesus was this guy who always knew the right way to handle the situation. He always knew when to get angry and when to act in love. Of course for him those two things went hand in hand.

As I thought about some of these “angry” blogs, I realized I would leave them feeling a huge sense of burden. I would feel the guilt of not trying hard enough, or feel bad about being a failure at living up to lofty standards. I never felt encouraged or “built into”. I felt weighed down.

But that’s not the impression I get of how Jesus left people. I think whenever someone encountered Jesus they knew they had met someone different, someone who made broken people whole. For certain he challenged everyone. But being challenged is entirely different than weighing people down with burdens.

Jesus frees us to pursue God by lifting our burdens and placing them on himself. That’s an amazing thing.

I don’t want R³ to be a place of burden. I want it to be a place of challenge for both you and for me. Sometimes hearing the truth can be difficult. Sometimes knowing we need to change our lives is hard. Sometimes doing the right thing feels impossible.

But I won’t run away if you won’t.