LAST time I referenced an excellent read titled The Road to Character by David Brooks, saying I might comment a little more on his final summary observations where he calls for a counter culture moment based upon an 18 point agenda Brooks terms the Humility Code. I’m so temped to do that, but really think it more prudent to have us read on in our main focus of Stanford’s comments below. Suffice it to say that I find it extremely interesting that several current secular -or at best nominal Christian- authors have traversed a path of discovery of late, that has brought them to a point of sharp departure from the current “Me” culture, They have done this by passing through a threshold of a more Biblical and less man-centered thought process. Another author in this vane is Malcom Gladwell and his book David and Goliath, with its very interesting twists and conclusions not unlike Brook’s. It is from Gladwell that I have gleaned a favorite catch phrase “Desirable Difficulties” which could rightly find it’s place imprinted on the other side of Brook’s Humility Code coin; one side inscribed The Way Up is Down and on the other side Desirable Difficulties.
SO, with that introduction, let’s get on with where we left off last time with the musing of desirable difficulties that Stanford proposes, that will lead us to a greater Christ consciousness, reliance, and dependence.
In the inexorable blessings of Christ,
Joe
Neh. 8:10, Isa 30:15, Jas 1:2
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Chapter 55—“The Way Up Is Down” – Part 3
Failure Recognized
Need, spiritual need! This is the prerequisite for growth in Christ. All of these circumstances of failure have been controlled by our ever-faithful Father, the God of circumstances. He knows what needs we need to keep US needy! It is true that the downward path (the negative side) has been the consequence both of the workings of self and the tactics of the enemy. Nevertheless, it is also true that the Father has seen to it that it happened, in order that the hunger caused through failure might be satisfied in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Countless Christians today are in the midst of utter failure—that they know. What they do not as yet know is that at the same time they are in the midst of the Father’s purpose for them. During the initial downward process they have been blinded to the work of His faithful hands, in order that they might come to realize something of the extent of their weakness and the overpowering strength of the self-life. Down! and yet—“nor depth … shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord” (Rom. 8:39).
Ever paradoxically, our Father uses our negatives to bring forth His positives. Our sin meant death for His Son, that we might have life (John 3:16). He was made to be our sin on the Cross, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid!” (Rom. 6:1, 2). God’s “all things” working together for our good are in His hands, not ours! He is our Sovereign, we are His subjects. We cannot escape from His eternal love—“the Lord corrects and disciplines every one whom He loves” (Heb. 12:6, Amp.).
Many children of God today have all but given up. Self and the world have been steadily taking over in their once bright Christian lives and service. Most have simply quit trying to live the Christian life; many have become sick and tired of church for various reasons, and no longer attend regularly if at all. Others are no longer attempting to maintain a Christian home; while there are those who have dropped out of Bible school or seminary, the pastorate, the mission field. Many Christian couples once had a hunger and vision for full-time service, but nothing came of it; hence, seeming failure and guilt have hung over their lives as a dark pall.
There are other couples who have entered into their life service and labored diligently for years, but there has not been solid spiritual growth or lasting fruit. They seek to carry on, trying one thing after another, but never seem to quite find His answer to the hunger and need of their hearts and lives. It seems to them that the only alternative is to quit as gracefully as possible and get into something that they can handle.
Failure Utilized
These are some of the very conditions that the Father uses to prepare us to see and enter into that which He has already given in the Lord Jesus. ….to be continued
