Change in a Hard Hearted World
By Todd Janssen
How do we interface with a broken world, full of sin, hatred, shame, destruction, and hopelessness? As I follow after Jesus and he changes my hardened heart, I become increasingly aware of the destruction, sin, hatred, and death both in the world and within the Church.
Somehow the people of Jesus have become marked and known by our hatred and disgust of unbelievers.
I can’t help but think that these have become how we are known because we within the church have allowed a notion to come into our belief system that our hard work will bring about the kingdom of God. I recently read this verse in Matthew and it reminded me again of how easily I stop placing Jesus in control of my life and try to do everything myself.
“Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?”
Matthew 16 24-26 MSG
When I honestly take a spiritual inventory of my life I realize within moments of all the areas that day that I tried to do it all on my own instead of relying on Jesus. The list of where I was self-focused and self-serving comes to mind but praise God that I get to rely on him again and suddenly I am capable of self-sacrifice again and am able to make things right.
Now back to answering my question how do we interface with the world? My conclusion is that I need to continuously take responsibility for my actions, not take the responsibility for actions of others and practice the radical self-sacrifice Jesus talks about. Sacrifice my hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Sacrifice my earthly desires, my fears for the future, my self-servicing goals and wants. What I have come to find is that I obscure my true self, the one created by God that was injured by the world and hides like a small child. I have to die to the self I created for the world and rest in the God-created and defined self and boldly step forward fully submitted to Christ.
What encourages me is that so many others are making the remarkable choice to live radical lives focused on the true source of good.
I have found so many people in the rooms of recovery that have been restored to full completeness in Christ and are then launched out into the world to share their experience strength and hope with everyone they meet. Those changed lived change lives. What I have found is that each person I walk beside through the dark times gets launched out and changes 100s of lives.
I am always stunned when I see the simple act of humility made in the heart ends up changing the entire world. I look forward hopefully to seeing the seas of humanity changed as we lay down ourselves and are changed again by God today.
