Complacency

It has been some time since I last made an entry in the "blog-o-sphere." However, the Lord has put some thoughts on my heart that I just can't shake. Complacency, do we truly understand what it means to be complacent as a believer in Jesus Christ? You see, I believe complacency is the opposite of obedience. Complacency defined means self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation. In other words it means, "I have arrived" or "I can't do this anymore." Complacency defined this way is contrary to God's Word either way. Complacency means either I am full of myself, also know as pride, or things are too hard and I quit.

As I look at a culture that is full of itself, thinking it knows better than God. A culture where everyone believes they have their individual knowledge of truth, I see a culture that is dying. A culture that has no hope outside of themselves. A hope that will disappoint. This hope will disappoint because it is rooted in man, not God. Any hope that the world has to offer is brought to you courtesy of man's logic and reasoning. You see, man is faulty. Or as the Bible calls it, sinful. We live in a culture that does not want to address Truth with a capital "T," as in biblical Truth. When man looks into God's Truth, he will see how far he falls short and that is uncomfortable. This is particularly uncomfortable when you are all the hope you have.

So these thoughts get me back to complacency. We as believers in Jesus Christ should be the last to become complacent. You see our hope is not found in man's ways. It is found in God's ways. As believers, we need to understand that His ways are better than our ways. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."

You see, it is not about us. It never has been and never will be. That is why we should never become complacent. We get complacent when we try to do it on our own. The Christian walk was not meant to be completed on your own. He has sent you a Helper. Well, why has He sent us a Helper? Because to taste the richness of His blessings, requires us to be obedient. Luke 9:23 Jesus tells his disciples what it means to be a follower of Him. "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY and follow Me." Did you get the DAILY in that verse. You see, we get complacent when things get tough. Can't trials come only once a month, or once a year? No, Jesus here says daily. So what does this look like on a daily basis? I am reminded of Paul's words in Romans 12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." In the culture that we live in, on a daily basis, we have to be willing to present ourselves as a "living and holy sacrifice." This will mean that you look very different from the culture in which we live. But if you are really set apart, shouldn't you act and behave differently? Shouldn't your actions be evident of the love you have for the Lord? The way that you treat your wife, your children, your co-workers, or even the person who cut you off on the freeway? Yes, you should present yourself as a "living and holy sacrifice." And this difference has to start with me and you.

It's not time to sit on the sidelines. It is time to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations," states, counties, cities, and neighborhoods telling them about the hope that will not disappoint. It is with this hope that it is possible for us, in this life to never become complacent.