White-Hot Christians

It’s a term that has popped up a number of times over the past little while.  I believe it’s a John Piper-ism, but someone can correct me if I’m wrong.

And it’s an idea that kept coming up, over and over and over again throughout my time taking the Perspectives course.  It may not have always been those exact words, but the concept was there:  people who are passionate, on fire for God.

These are the kinds of people who are the most effective and able to maintain any kind of missions work, whether locally or globally.

Of course, strategy is important; a person cannot live on passion alone.

But there will be plenty of opportunity to write about strategy some other time.  I want to focus on passion for a moment.

The idea of passion kind of resonated with me throughout the course.  It’s as if God was saying, “Hey. If I’m going to use you – really use you – effectively, you need passion for Me and My Name.”

And in my head I was saying, “Okay God. I get it. But how?  How do I develop that passion?”

And all I was getting for a little while was silence.

It could very well be, too, that God was saying something, but I just wasn’t hearing Him.  I was quite caught up in my homework for Perspectives, and trying really hard to live some semblance of the life I lived before Perspectives started.  Which, I’ve slowly discovered, despite my stubbornness to think otherwise, that maybe that wasn’t the smartest thing to do.

But I digress.

Anyway, two Sundays ago, this sermon was preached at Rexdale Alliance Church, where I grew up.  It had to do with King Saul being a driven man, and how he royally messed up (pun intended), turning a God-appointed kingship into a disastrous reign that ended when Saul “fell” (purposely) on his own sword. 

There were three things that led to Saul’s demise:

1. He was impatient when worshipping. 
2. He used prayer to find out what God’s will was for him rather than using it as a way to build relationship with Him.
3. He allowed his own feelings and desires dictate how he would worship rather than allowing the Spirit to move in him.

Something clicked inside of me when I heard this.  Lately I have been definitely guilty of number 2.  I’m at a point where I’m wanting to make a few decisions that could significantly impact my life, both in the short- and long-term. And my prayers have (mostly) gone something like this, “Hey God.  Help? What should I do?”  And whenever I’ve read Scripture, I’ve definitely tried to find answers to these questions.

Is it any wonder I haven’t had much in the way of response? 

There’s little happening relationally when I pray like this.  So, cycling back to the idea of missions,  how can I possibly reach out to those around me in a convincing manner that God is good, the best thing out there, when I’m not really feeling it? That’s like a salesman selling a product he doesn’t completely believe in.

Honestly, these types of people are so easy to see through.

 

And if the relationship between God and I is distant, then how can I trust that He has my best interests at heart? How can I really hear Him?  And why would I want to do things that please Him?

That sounds more like a legalistic, works-based faith in a god that is distant and scary.

I don’t want that.

This doesn't change the fact that decisions still need to be made. But hopefully, bit by bit, it will change how I approach prayer.

It isn't easy, though.  I have to admit that, since I heard that sermon, I feel as though I've been trying and (at times) failing to practice this.  It does feel as though not much progress has been made, which is frustrating. 

But God is gracious.  And more patient than I can ever be.  

So I'm going to keep at it.  Even though it's not easy.