I have been thinking lately, what it means to be a Christian, what it should be like. The thought process was spurred by conversation about situations that rubbed me the wrong way and I was trying to figure out why.
As I sat in my vehicle amidst running errands it dawned on me that too many Christians live like victims instead of the heroes they are meant to be. This is not to say we don't struggle, no, we struggle, we battle, that is a given. But our struggle should always contain a seed of hope and expectation of victory (Jesus tells us in scripture that "in this world you will have trials, but take heart, I have overcome the world"). Our victory meaning God being glorified through us, not just in end results of a trial, but of how we conducted ourselves during the trial. Did we compromise what is right? Did we use and abuse people to get what we want? That is the test, what you do in the battle, how you fight the battle. Too many people do all sorts of underhanded things to try to ensure that they come out on top at the end, and then justify their behavior by the end result. That is a definite "fail" with God.
In our struggle, the temptation to feel sorry for ourselves, to succumb to a victim mentality, must not overcome us. Yes, at times, when the battle is fierce, our soul goes through dark night seasons. In the dark night of the soul it's debris gets churned up, but in this even, God has redemptive purpose. You can't get rid of what you can't see, so these seasons are meant to expose what lurks deep within. Heroes face it and recognize their need for God's redemption and renewal, heroes embrace the fire of purging, because they know that on the other side, when the purging and refining is done, they will have earned the privilege to help remove, in love, the blinding specks of others. This is not unlike Christ facing and enduring the cross for our sakes. To burn so others may live.
Somewhere along the line many Christians forget they are more than conquerors, that they are made in the image of God (all mankind is) and that through Christ we have been given everything we need (truly need, not what we may think we need), we have eternal hope in the goodness of God and the deposit, the assurance of Holy Spirit within us.
The trials of a Christian should always produce good fruit, when they don't, we should start asking ourselves the hard questions. Questions like, "Did I stray from the path God intended for my life?", "Am I running (from God, instead of to God)?", "What are my motives for being on the path I'm on?", "Have I justified behavior that is wrong in order to get what I want?"(that's a huge one), "Am I walking in integrity in every area of my life?", "Have I lost God's vision for my life, taking my life into my own hands?", "Am I striving for selfish reasons or for the greater good?".
Every person can be a hero, every day. And most especially Christians, because we are to be what our title calls us "little Christs". Do people know us by our fruit or by a name we've given ourselves? Are we being heroes to the sphere of influence God has given each of us? Are we being faithful with the little things He asks of us, so He can entrust us with more? We all, are on different legs and stages of our journeys, these all look different, God looks at the heart and doesn't judge by appearances, however, this blog being about Christians meant to be heroes, God will judge the motives and actions of those who call themselves Christians.
His love for us is unquestionable and unquenchable, but I have always wanted more than His love, I wanted Him to like me, I want to bring Him pleasure, I don't want my behavior to require disciplining (but welcome it when I need it!) or my motives to bring Him grief. For me love is not enough, I want friendship, I want intimacy - that deep heart knowing of one another. I am blessed to say that I have been experiencing that place and have been enjoying that level of His presence. My heart's desire is for all to experience this with Him, their Creator, their Father, to reflect the light that transforms darkness. This is the great need. So we can rise up the heroes we were created to be.
