Challenges - Part 1

There seems to be something rather exciting about being challenged in church. There is something that appeals to us when we are asked something like, “Will you be the one to rise-up and go the extra mile for God?” Maybe it makes us feel special and privileged, like our Daddy’s favourite? I don’t know. If so, I believe this could lead to religious pride and a sense of deserving more than the next person, because of the efforts you make.

These challenges make us feel like we can be the privileged few, the chosen ones who live according to God’s calling, while other Christians choose not to, or are not invited to. This, to me, makes me think of Israel in the Old Testament, rather than the message of unconditional grace for both Jew and Gentile. I suppose the challenge message gives believers the conviction that although the Bible says that God does not pick favourites, those who are “in the know” – know different.

The Guilt Trap

We can come out of a service, after hearing a challenging sermon - feeling all pumped-up and raring to go. And yet how do you actually act upon such a message? How do you actually respond to a message to “go the extra mile?” We can say all sorts of things like, “I’m going to go all out for God” – but how do you actually act on such a declaration? Are we to make yet another rule out of “go all out for God?” Perhaps this was the 11th Commandment that God “forgot” to tell Moses about?

Such thoughts can cause the mind to start racing as you try to figure out how on earth you are going to live-up to all of those expectations you have allowed other people to put upon you. This can become yet another invitation for a believer to descend into a downward spiral of guilt and shame, as he realises that he cannot live-up to the expectations that the church puts upon him.

Remember, Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Anything heavy and ill-fitting is not from God! Doesn’t this kind of exciting and noble-sounding pulpit-message take the attention away from what Jesus has done for us, onto what we can, or must, do for Him?

We are told that we are in end-times, that there is an urgent need for dedicated believers to do what they are called to do – which I agree with entirely. But the issue I have with challenges is that I don’t really know how to respond to them. I will admit that the initial reaction is rather spontaneous, but after that, I fall into pretence-mode. Challenges can have the effect of getting me all stirred-up with a sense of “I must do something” – but it often doesn’t result in me doing anything, or feeling a burden of guilt. I can find myself compelled to do all the seemingly right things – but for all of the wrong reasons.

Another Form of Legalism

Challenges in the church might appear motivating, but in actual fact, they are often more condemning that anything else. Perhaps then, the greatest challenge when it comes to Christianity is this: believing that God accepts you, just as you are, without having to change a thing. God will often go to great lengths to challenge people’s faith when it comes to this! In my experience, it is a whole lot easier to believe that God loves you unconditionally, when you are running around church doing all sorts of activities in the name of “serving God”.

I just wanted to know how to get God’s grace in my life, but these people who were giving me these challenges, just seemed to assume that I already had it all together and was just resting in God’s power; that I was being somewhat lazy, “resting on my laurels” and needed to be persuaded to “do something for God”. When a believer is not seen by the church to be “keen as mustard” to serve in church – people can assume that he just needs encouragement – He just needs to know God’s love. I acknowledge that every church has members that are at different stages of spiritual maturity. But surely, if someone is full of the love of God and led by the Holy Spirit, they don’t need to be told to “rise-up” and to do “something for God”?

Challenges Make You Better…Or Do They?

There is a saying that "challenges make you better". In my experience, challenges only make you bitter. I do agree that challenging circumstances can become a catalyst for positive change and personal growth. However, it is not what a person experiences that is important - what determines the effect of a challenge on a person is their reaction to it. It is therefore of very little use for a person to go through a challenging set of circumstances, if it is only going to make them more anxious. If a person is not prepared, if they do not have the correct understanding - challenges can actually have a detrimental effect on them.

The most important factor in undergoing any challenging set of circumstances is that the individual experiences the peace of God - not the peace of man in the form of re-assuring words. As Eph. 3:17 says, "Rooted and grounded in love."

The Need for Proper Teaching

So instead of just being exhorted to "take on a challenge" or "just keep on going", what would be of infinite greater usefulness would be teaching that facilitates a proper reaction to such trials. This teaching cannot be limited to general encouragement; such encouragement assumes that a person's ability to endure trials is merely a conscious effort of the will. In reality, the ability to endure trials, to react positively to them, is vested in the subconscious mind: what the Bible terms "heart" or "spirit".

Conclusion

Do the challenges of a pastor give me the motives of God? If it was my born-again spirit that the preacher was appealing to, then surely the Holy Spirit would move in me according to his will? God does not need to wait until another Christian persuades me to do things before He motivates me and guides me to serve Him. He is just waiting for me to be fully surrendered to Him – without me trying to do things in my own strength and understanding.