Saturday, November 3, 2007

Living Our Questions

I haven't been blogging lately for a number of reasons, but mostly because I've been busy living out my questions.

I think there are at least two kinds of questions we get along this Christian journey--the ones we can answer by reading a book or article, and the ones we have to work through by living life. Often, these two types of questions overlap.

Does scripture contradict itself? Is it historically accurate? Those are the sorts of questions that--for me--I can find satisfying answers to with an apologetics website.

How can I learn to forgive? What should reconciliation look like? Those are the sorts of questions that need to be worked through by a change in the way we live.

In a way, all of the Christian life is like a question--perhaps "what does it look like for me to live out my new life in Christ?"--a question based on truth, that changes the way we live.

13 comments:

John said...

Great post, and I absolutely agree. Some questions can be answered by study, while others need to be answered by practical, day-to-day living. The Christian life is not a theory, but rather a worldview that is all-encompassing.

If we say we believe something and live something opposite of that, we are Pharisees. Hypocrites.

I think there is a tension between study and figuring stuff out and answering questions, and then living that faith out in our real lives, as you said.

Ted M. Gossard said...

The Walk,
I so much agree. Two important questions are "Who am I? and Who are you, Jesus- and God?" The other: "Where are you?" God to us, so we ask ourselves, "Where am I?" Am I hiding from God in my sin.

Yes, and surely other questions related. And so true that so much of this we have to work out in our lives, not just in our heads.

Penelope Guarder said...

these are wonderful thoughts. and so true. what always gets me is to know that the words on the page of one book are living. actually alive. it is more than i can comprehend as to how that relates in human lives. whew!

Anonymous said...

last comment was mine...but my daughter was signed in...
nancy

Anonymous said...

also, she is a 10 year old and her name is not...penelope.

that is her pen name. hehe

Anonymous said...

i think you better blog on through even though you are living through questions.

Anonymous said...

my hope it that you continue to walk in the path of the Lord God to His Glory.

Ted M. Gossard said...

The Walk,
Hope you're doing alright. Blessings on you.

The Walk said...

Thank you so much for all of your kind comments. I've just been in one of those seasons lately where God's been leading me in a new direction...teaching me something new...and I know I can be a very resistant student sometimes, unfortunately. It's awful to go through, but so amazing to look back on sometimes, 'ya know?

John said...

Hey,
Glad to see you're doing alright. I know what you mean about different directions and lessons that are hard, yet ultimately important and life-changing. Keep fighting!

Ted M. Gossard said...

Amen, The Walk.

Anonymous said...

good to hear from you

Angela C said...

"What does it look like to live out my new life in Christ?", you asked. It looks like a journey or a great adventure. You never know what's around the bend but you trust that when you get there God in you is enough to face it and deal with it. Sometimes your're pushing through the fog of fear -- but remember; fear is just smoke and mirrors. It's never as bad as your mind or the enemy wants you to imagine. Sometimes it's a dangerous trek up a mountain but God promises to give you the feet of the deer so you can safely climb to the top. Other times its a walk in the park of familiarity and comfort. But once in a while its thorugh the valley of the shadow of death and the only thing that gets you through is knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt, God is with me.
The secret to traveling this journey is intimately knowing your guide -- Jesus Christ. He is there at the mention of his name. His Word will teach you how to travel well when books or others opinions will fail you. The other secret is "know yourself" and be true to who you are. Don't try to be someone else. Listen closely to your heart and respond authentically.
You will always have questions which can't be easily answered. But when you know "the answer" you can rest in His love and know He has it all under control.
Romans 12: 1-2 from the Message is great advice. 1-2 "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."
As a Christian of 51 years that's the best advice I can give you. Enjoy the journey -- it really is an exciting adventure!