Do you ever read or listen to messages that proclaim if we’re walking closely with Jesus, all our wants and desires will automatically and almost involuntarily align with His – with no effort given on our part? They seem to sometimes say, we need not even feel the need to try because we’ll only ever act on what is good.
To get straight to the point, I believe these messages to leave people confused, misinformed, and discouraged. The way I see it, you could walk away with two different takeaways, both of which are incorrect. One, you could think you’re not really walking with Christ because your desires aren’t magically lining up with what you know to be right. Or two, you could think this reason enough to sit back and coast through life without ever trying to become better.
To the first point, here’s the real truth:
You are human. We all are.
Just because your desires don’t magically line up with what you know to be right doesn’t mean you aren’t attempting to walk with Jesus. The important point is that you know what is right, and you’re taking steps to do what is right – whether you feel like it or not.
To the second point, here’s the other truth:
You can’t always trust yourself.
What?! I know, right? Where do I get off saying something like that? Well, the Bible. In Numbers 15, God tells Moses to tell the Israelites to make tassels so they will remember God’s commands: “These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the Lord’s commands and obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes” (v. 29, CEV). This is a warning that we can’t follow our own heart sometimes. Contrary to practically all of what society is telling you, your heart may lead you astray.
So if you think God has called you to one thing or another, maybe just make sure your heart is truly in the right place. After all, Jeremiah 17:9 says the heart is more deceitful than all else. And if you’re feeling discouraged because you’ve heard a sermon that says you should just be full of good desires all the time, don’t be.
Don’t be discouraged, but don’t be lazy.
Yes, when we ask Christ to be our Lord and Savior, we are a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). But we are still flesh, and we still need Christ every single second of every single day. The book of James has 54 direct calls to obedience. Fifty four. We need to obey. It’s not easy. It doesn’t even feel natural sometimes. But we must try. So what do we do?
1. Read the Bible. Learn about God, and learn what his commands are. You can’t obey what you don’t know.
2. Renew your mind. When we renew our minds in Christ, we “will be able to test and approve what God’s will is” (Romans 12:2).
2. Seek the Holy Spirit. You may not always be able to trust yourself, but you can trust the Holy Spirit’s guidance. How can you tell the difference? The Holy Spirit is holy. If it’s not holy, it’s not the Spirit.
3. Pray. Ask for God’s help. Ask Him to draw close to you. The more we’re reminded of Him, the easier it is to walk in step with Him.