Why We "Choose" Christianity
Several things people have said lately have got me thinking about why Christians choose to be Christians. A couple of the incidents are here in my blog--like my friend who chose not to be a Christian because it felt too demanding for her. And then, a comment by RegularGoy (in my other blog) on my entry about that incident where he writes:
I think the sheer fact that people feel the need to extricate Christianity from their lives because they're dealing with other things (i.e. Christianity hinders, rather than helps, that process) is evidence for its inability to help some people. I've reached the conclusion that Christianity isn't for everybody--there are some people who aren't wired for it. I hope that doesn't mean they're going to hell, like Augustine and other predestinarians do.
Then, another friend recently mentioned how she was struck lately by Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Specifically, she was struck by the way Solomon had the freedom (her word) to go out and try every sin and alternative to God out there, and only then did he realize that only God could satisfy him. She was saying this was a positive thing--that Solomon turned to God by realzing this was the thing that satisfied him the most.
But all these little things, and other comments, got me wondering: Do we really choose to follow God because God "works" for us? Do we decide to stick with Christianity only when it feels fulfilling, and seems to help us deal with our issues? Is the point of God's existence really to satisfy us? On one hand it makes sense that relationship with God and following Jesus in our lives would be the most ultimately satisfying way to live (though it sometimes wouldn't feel that way). But should that be the reason we follow God? Because it's the thing that "works" for us the best of all the other philosophies out there? I dunno. It just seems totally self-centered to me. And maybe we don't choose Christianity at all...maybe it chooses us... (I wouldn't be a very good Presbyterian if I didn't throw that option in there...)
I'm not sure this is getting my point across...but if it is, anybody have any thoughts about this?
I think the sheer fact that people feel the need to extricate Christianity from their lives because they're dealing with other things (i.e. Christianity hinders, rather than helps, that process) is evidence for its inability to help some people. I've reached the conclusion that Christianity isn't for everybody--there are some people who aren't wired for it. I hope that doesn't mean they're going to hell, like Augustine and other predestinarians do.
Then, another friend recently mentioned how she was struck lately by Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Specifically, she was struck by the way Solomon had the freedom (her word) to go out and try every sin and alternative to God out there, and only then did he realize that only God could satisfy him. She was saying this was a positive thing--that Solomon turned to God by realzing this was the thing that satisfied him the most.
But all these little things, and other comments, got me wondering: Do we really choose to follow God because God "works" for us? Do we decide to stick with Christianity only when it feels fulfilling, and seems to help us deal with our issues? Is the point of God's existence really to satisfy us? On one hand it makes sense that relationship with God and following Jesus in our lives would be the most ultimately satisfying way to live (though it sometimes wouldn't feel that way). But should that be the reason we follow God? Because it's the thing that "works" for us the best of all the other philosophies out there? I dunno. It just seems totally self-centered to me. And maybe we don't choose Christianity at all...maybe it chooses us... (I wouldn't be a very good Presbyterian if I didn't throw that option in there...)
I'm not sure this is getting my point across...but if it is, anybody have any thoughts about this?
posted by bethany at 10:54 AM
2 Comments:
More often than not, I find that God does not "work" in my life. God, in fact, complicates things. And although I choose, almost daily, to continue with this thing that is complicated and messy and dangerous and to even devote my life's work to it, I'm beginning to think that maybe Christianity chooses me more than I choose it.
throw me in with the camp that would confess that Christ chooses me and that frees me to choose Christianity (that is to trust) or not (that is to ignore, deny, sin, whatever).
Of course, it's a heck of a lot more complicated than that, eh? Living a faithful life with doubts...living a doubting life with faith in something better...in a season of purification, or brokenness, or despair...all these things can be holy and all can be part of our path to God.
So who knows? Thanks be to God for the mysteries!
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