I have come to realize more and more just how much God wants our heart. Christians today are the ancestors of rich traditions that emphasize the importance of attending church, bible study participation, social justice, outreach and other such activities. However, I realize that one of the biggest obstacles to Christianity is exactly that: our faith has become our activities. We have allowed ourselves to be defined by what we do - rather than WHO we are. Don't get me wrong, there is a definite place for these activities. BUT when they become the marker of what it means to be a Christian, when the become THE relationship - it is then that they lose their intended purpose.
All these things mean nothing when they do not origin in a heart that longs to know God better, put or old self to death, and be clothed with the character of Christ. For some reason we have somehow equated the character of Christ with the performance of certain "Christian" activities - rather than be known for our relationships with people - we allow ourselves to be defined by our place in the church, our work, our familial status, our possessions, whatever. In the end, however, it is these things that should be transformed by WHO we are. If the heart inside us changes, these activities will be part of what we do = but will not come to define us. This means that when these things are taken away, when things don't turn out as we had hoped, we do not lose our identity because our identity is found in the Person Jesus Christ and not in the actions we perform.
All these things mean nothing when they do not origin in a heart that longs to know God better, put or old self to death, and be clothed with the character of Christ. For some reason we have somehow equated the character of Christ with the performance of certain "Christian" activities - rather than be known for our relationships with people - we allow ourselves to be defined by our place in the church, our work, our familial status, our possessions, whatever. In the end, however, it is these things that should be transformed by WHO we are. If the heart inside us changes, these activities will be part of what we do = but will not come to define us. This means that when these things are taken away, when things don't turn out as we had hoped, we do not lose our identity because our identity is found in the Person Jesus Christ and not in the actions we perform.
In no way do I write this as person who has mastered this or understands it completely - but as an encouragement for US to be purposeful in WHO we become. So, where is your heart?
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