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09-18-2007, 09:21 AM
Spiritually Muddled, by Mike Barres
Have you ever wrestled with a thought, question or a decision and
weren't sure what to do? Of course you have. Most of us find ourselves
in this situation occasionally. However, was your question an issue of
confusion or of will? Was it a real question about what to do or did it
just seem like your thinking was muddled because you didn't want to do
what you knew was right?
Oswald Chambers, in "My Utmost for His Highest," had something to say
about that. In his September 14 devotion, "Imagination verses
Inspiration", he talks about "Spiritual Muddle." Sanders said:
You cannot think a spiritual muddle clear, you have to obey it
clear. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in
spiritual matters you will think yourself into cotton wool. If
there is something upon which God has put His pressure, obey in
that matter, bring your imagination into captivity to the obedience
of Christ with regard to it and everything will become as clear as
daylight.
Many times when our thinking is muddy and we think we need
clarification, more thinking is not really what we need. Often we
wrestle with simply obeying what we know is the right thing to do.
Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, knew what he was supposed to do,
but was wrestling with saying yes to it (Mark 14:32-42). He did say yes
-- "not what I will, but what You will" -- and His direction became
clear. He went to the Cross and died for you and me in accordance to
the Father's will.
Are you sure you aren't just making this complicated?
Not too long ago, I was talking to a man in a big city. He was not a
Christian. The conversation got very complicated about what he believed
and didn't believe. He also talked about some questions he had. I felt
like the Lord gave me a question to ask him. I said, "Are you sure you
aren't just making this complicated so that you won't have to act on
what you know is true?" He got very, very quiet.
There are times that we sincerely need direction. As God's children, we
can ask for wisdom if we aren't sure what would be best to do in a
certain situation. God promises to bless us with His wisdom:
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all
liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James
1:5 NKJV).
Other times, however, we are simply suffering from what Sanders called
"spiritual muddle" or "muddle thinking." In those times, we need to
simply say, "Yes!" to God and obey.
Have you ever wrestled with a thought, question or a decision and
weren't sure what to do? Of course you have. Most of us find ourselves
in this situation occasionally. However, was your question an issue of
confusion or of will? Was it a real question about what to do or did it
just seem like your thinking was muddled because you didn't want to do
what you knew was right?
Oswald Chambers, in "My Utmost for His Highest," had something to say
about that. In his September 14 devotion, "Imagination verses
Inspiration", he talks about "Spiritual Muddle." Sanders said:
You cannot think a spiritual muddle clear, you have to obey it
clear. In intellectual matters you can think things out, but in
spiritual matters you will think yourself into cotton wool. If
there is something upon which God has put His pressure, obey in
that matter, bring your imagination into captivity to the obedience
of Christ with regard to it and everything will become as clear as
daylight.
Many times when our thinking is muddy and we think we need
clarification, more thinking is not really what we need. Often we
wrestle with simply obeying what we know is the right thing to do.
Jesus, in the Garden of Gethsemane, knew what he was supposed to do,
but was wrestling with saying yes to it (Mark 14:32-42). He did say yes
-- "not what I will, but what You will" -- and His direction became
clear. He went to the Cross and died for you and me in accordance to
the Father's will.
Are you sure you aren't just making this complicated?
Not too long ago, I was talking to a man in a big city. He was not a
Christian. The conversation got very complicated about what he believed
and didn't believe. He also talked about some questions he had. I felt
like the Lord gave me a question to ask him. I said, "Are you sure you
aren't just making this complicated so that you won't have to act on
what you know is true?" He got very, very quiet.
There are times that we sincerely need direction. As God's children, we
can ask for wisdom if we aren't sure what would be best to do in a
certain situation. God promises to bless us with His wisdom:
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all
liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James
1:5 NKJV).
Other times, however, we are simply suffering from what Sanders called
"spiritual muddle" or "muddle thinking." In those times, we need to
simply say, "Yes!" to God and obey.