Basis of Faith

We don't know enough versus we don't know at all. 

Don't plant doubts, because doubts are not an expression of faith. When we seek God, there is a certain level of intimacy that we need to maintain, much like David, Abraham and even Job. Presumption or true expression of faith, we can argue until the cows come home. Both look the same, and there is probably little we can do to tease them apart, so a simple but effective guideline is this: decide based on your faith in who He is and maybe who you believe Him to be. It is definitely presumption when the faith is in the self- I can't be wrong about God, I saw those and I'm sure my interpretation is legit, God told me this and that must be it. The former is about God and in God, the latter is about self and in self.

Yet, never swing to the other end. Fact is this, Christianity is a relationship, God's Word is given with the intention of revealing Himself to us, God wants us to know Him. In other words, it is God's design and intention for us to move in faith, with Him as the anchor to keep us on track. If being cautious only makes us go a detour in our destiny, then maybe we can cut some slack here. But if being cautious causes tension, makes people doubt and even frustrates those under us because we think we know better- the moment (the critical point) is when our people start believing that they can't hear God- then the consequences can be dire and it ranges from a lifelong suppression/oppression and withdrawal into insecurity (since I can't hear, I better wait to be told by those who can) to complete fed up and quitting. 

This post is supposed to be an assurance to all, especially those who are leading. None of us know enough, and functioning from a point of thinking that we already know all is sheer delusion which almost certainly leads to disobedience. But functioning from a position of don't know at all completely overshadow the few facts that I've pointed out earlier on about God's nature and intention- it is out of fear and it is void of faith. That leaves many doors locked and inaccessible, and we become powerless and self-defeating. However functioning out of an acknowledgement of not knowing enough drives us to seek Him more, to know Him better, and to look upon the fulfillment of God's plan as a means to please God, not an end to itself. The focus of this is God, and our role here is to flourish that relationship. 

The biggest injustice to God is when people start calling out "Your will be done and not mine" thinking that it's all about God doing what He wants and what pleases Him. While that must be true, that is incomplete. When Jesus cried out that particular call of desperation, it was in the context of "take this cup away from me if it is possible". Your will be done and not mine must be understood in the context of knowing God and His nature, that His will is the best possible for us. It's not just pleasing to Him, but it is the most beneficial for us. Jesus was able to come to that conclusion/submission because He and God are One, and His relationship with God is the best that we can learn and imitate from. Therefore while His preference was to be rid of that short term suffering (take away the cup), He knew God enough to submit in order to rid of the long term suffering of humanity, which is infinitely better. 

Anyway, that is the biggest and most important submission in all of humanity, so when we call for His will to be done; never ever ever call it out of casual cluelessness, but perfect understanding and conviction of the goodness that is BOUND TO overflow from submitting because that is His nature. It's not just for Him, but in Him we gain us (pleasing Him benefits us).