Believing Revolution

We all want something to believe in. It is the rallying cry of the Human Race. We seek something to believe, whether it is science or religion, something out there or something inside us, or even just ourselves. And we want others to believe in us, which is why we often work so hard to fit in. Belief makes the world go 'round.

The problem of late is that there is so much to believe in. I mean, there is so much "truth" to be found that it is hard for us to choose just one. So, we have created this concept- moral relativism. Simplified, it means "Do what feels right to you." It works great for a while because there is no wrong answer. Well, unless you do something that makes you feel bad, but then the punishment comes from you and not some outside source. But over time, many moral relativist (many, not all) find that they really don't believe in anything, and they start their search all over.

The church, as well, has found itself in a place where, like the song says, we need "something to believe in, because I'm living just to breathe." The belief that believers seek is not some concept- but actually a way of life. They realize that for at least a generation the church has grown its roots into the floor, she has grown sedentary. By extension, followers of Christ seem to have adopted a rather lazy view of spirituality. They don't want to sacrifice to know Christ, they don't want to be told their lifestyle doesn't honor Jesus, they don't really want to take a stand for Him other than to maybe wear a cross or a T-shirt. It has been safe, easy, and -in America, at least- expected that you are a 'Christian,' as if it is by birthright. Moral Relativism has crept in so that Christians do what they feel is right, not what God has shown He desires. But Moral Relativism is but a symptom of the real problem.

We don't believe.

Yeah, we know there is a God. We know He died for us and blah, blah, blah...but man, I'm really too busy for a meaningful relationship. If God were a girlfriend, we would have dumped Him years ago because there just wasn't a spark anymore. We know about Him, but He doesn't really live to us. A big part of this problem is that we don't see too many followers of Christ that are genuinely passionate about Him. We hear stories of believers in far off lands, but here in America, our "Christian Examples" are celebrity pastors and writers who tell us a lot about how we should live sacrificially while they sit in their large churches with top-notch tech. I don't find myself getting excited to believe in their God.

And so, we are lethargic. We believe there is a God, but we are still simply living just to breathe, to make it to the next paycheck, to eek out a decent grade on that test, to try to avoid another fight with the significant other about finances or the kids or what to watch on TV. We believe, but we do nothing with it. And we complain that our nation is going to Hell because no one will stand up for Christ.

We want a Revolutionary- someone to shake us from our apathy. But we need them to explain things step by step, we need to know exact answers, exact facts, for we don't want to step out on faith if we might fall. We are fearful and mistrusting of the God we believe in.

So what is the answer?

We need to be the Revolutionary we seek. Not Big Time Pastor. Not Emergent Church Writer. Not Celebrity Turned Christian. US. YOU and ME. The way to do it is to listen to the gentle voice, the almost silent whisper that comes from deep in our heart- that feeling that there must be more than this, more than this nothing that our faith has become.

Our belief must not simply rest on itself. It must grow to a fever- a passion- if we are going to see a change in not only ourselves, but our world. Change based simply on facts without passion has never truly been seen, at least to my knowledge, because Revolutionaries are passionate.

Dispassionate revolution brings no change.

And that is just what we have today. People are passionate about changing government, health care, immigration, and the economy. But we talk about wanting to change the state of faith in our nation, and we turn all clinical, emotionless.

Wake up. Come alive and fight with all that you have to get a glimpse of Christ. Be willing to shed blood, sweat and tears in your pursuit of Him. Let everything else fade away, realize that everything else- even the good things like family and doing a good job at school or work- are lesser things than knowing God.

Be willing to be seen as a Freak for believing so totally in God. Be willing to do something that others think insane or unsafe if it is God calling you to it. Weep when you sing a love song to God or when you hear the story of another Child of God. Be broken when you see others, even enemies, fall. Be torn up inside over the struggles others face. When you yourself fall, allow yourself to be picked up by God, not through a set of man-made redemption steps.

It is time to start believing in Revolution. And it is time to start a revolution int your own beliefs.