I wonder... #11
I wonder...
Why are we more liberal with what they take than with what they deny themselves? I find that gratification is more widely accepted than self-denial in the Christian community. We will more readily do things in our freedom than use our freedom as opportunities for learning to deny some of our desires. By desires, I am talking about simply "wanting"--I am not talking about needs (i.e. I need food or I will in fact suffer detriment). My point of inquiry is more "Why do we give ourselves what we want?" I am not necessarily proposing asceticism, I simply wonder why we make the choices that we do. Our reason seems to be: "we can, it isn't wrong and I like it. God gave it, it is good, and I can have all goods in my freedom if I want them." This leads me to ask, how much of my day is taken up with me wanting things? How much do my own desires and the freedom I indulge in make me more or less attentive to God?
Why does the man who abstains from a given good "need" God's permission? I am thinking about something that Francis Chan said at my freshman Torrey Conference. He said that when we hear of a missionary opportunity we will sit down and ask "God is it your will?" and often use that as a period for procrastination, during which we hope to get distracted. We will question service and self-denial, but we will not often question our common desires. In the words of Francis Chan (paraphrased), "We will more readily ask, God, is it your will that I go on the mission trip? and then go turn on the TV without asking whether or not it was God's will that we turn on the TV." I wonder about this...
Why are we more liberal with what they take than with what they deny themselves? I find that gratification is more widely accepted than self-denial in the Christian community. We will more readily do things in our freedom than use our freedom as opportunities for learning to deny some of our desires. By desires, I am talking about simply "wanting"--I am not talking about needs (i.e. I need food or I will in fact suffer detriment). My point of inquiry is more "Why do we give ourselves what we want?" I am not necessarily proposing asceticism, I simply wonder why we make the choices that we do. Our reason seems to be: "we can, it isn't wrong and I like it. God gave it, it is good, and I can have all goods in my freedom if I want them." This leads me to ask, how much of my day is taken up with me wanting things? How much do my own desires and the freedom I indulge in make me more or less attentive to God?
Why does the man who abstains from a given good "need" God's permission? I am thinking about something that Francis Chan said at my freshman Torrey Conference. He said that when we hear of a missionary opportunity we will sit down and ask "God is it your will?" and often use that as a period for procrastination, during which we hope to get distracted. We will question service and self-denial, but we will not often question our common desires. In the words of Francis Chan (paraphrased), "We will more readily ask, God, is it your will that I go on the mission trip? and then go turn on the TV without asking whether or not it was God's will that we turn on the TV." I wonder about this...
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