I should be thinking about the job interview I have in 30 minutes at WKU. I should be going over questions in my head and my possible answers (yes this is how i prepare... dont judge). I should be focused.
I should be thinking about the talk I am giving at our youth retreat this weekend. I should be going over my outline (and finishing it for that matter) and praying praying praying.
But what am i thinking about?
People who fall away from the faith. Friends, some dearly close and some mere acquaintances, who at one point in their lives challenged me to seek the Lord more and more each day. Friends who had their priorities straight. Friends who seemed genuinely in love with the Lord. Friends who, for whatever reason, are no longer seeking the Lord. Or who are seeking a more liberal, man made version of the Lord. It breaks my heart.
And it makes me wonder, why?? Was it all pretending in the first place, or can our hearts really change that much? I have no answers and no judgements, it just makes me sad. I just read the blog of someone who used to be a strong Christian leader, and now believes that the Bible is cool but is not the way we learn about God. We get to pick how we learn about Him.
I dont have time to go into this (interview, retreat etc) now, but I know I will be thinking about it. And maybe Ill share more?? For now, I am just heavy hearted for people who once were in communion with such a gracious Savior and somehow walked away from the only true love we can experience. How can that happen?
i too have had friends that i have seen go through this same experience. it does stink and all you can do for them is pray, pray, pray. if you feel the Lord is leading you to tell them how you feel, then you should do that too. i have seen the Lord yank his stray sheep back into his fold. that is what keeps me praying for them.
ReplyDeletealso, i read this post and thought of you.
http://4hatsandfrugal.blogspot.com/2009/08/outsaving-joneses.html
you may already read this blog.
hope your interview went well!
Hmm... good words. I've been asking myself alot of those questions lately too. But your post was a good reminder that these examples should make us cling to the Lord so much more so that our wayward hearts do not deceive us.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the interview! Praying for you!
If you are concerned about it, I would suggest you talk with them. Not necessarily to change their view, but to understand how they got there and why. Perhaps they never sought it out, but rather found themselves at a place where they had to revise their understanding of faith or walk away from the faith. Perhaps what they had been taught (and taught themselves) no longer made sense in the world they lived. Perhaps in their study of scripture they found YHWH constantly calling his people to a fresh understanding of what it means to be a redemptive force in the world and they began to deeply desired to join YHWH in his work. Perhaps the transition to "a more liberal" understanding of God and Scripture was deeply painful as close friends refused to discuss the questions and doubts and preferred instead to slowly back away.
ReplyDeleteBut then again, perhaps they were just faking it, or they preferred to follow a cheap gospel that absolved them of any responsibility.
“If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts: but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.” -Francis Bacon
It is obviously you are experiencing true concern because you truly care. Don't let the fear of an awkward conversation prevent you from having a open and honest discussion. If both sides are willing to approach it humbly, I think everyone will be the better.
-bk
i have a lot of people in my life who are in that position. it hurts. all we can do is pray and love them.
ReplyDeletegood luck w/the interview!