The following column is an opinion piece and reflects the views of only the author and not those of The Georgia Virtue.
By: Dr. William F. Holland Jr., minister, chaplain, and author of the column series ‘Living on Purpose’. You can read more about the Christian life and see other works by Dr. Holland at billyhollandministries.com.
The idea of not being spiritually prepared to trust Christ because of a lack of interest is like being told that you have been scheduled to box a champion fighter this coming Friday night, even though you have no boxing experience and are in terrible physical condition. It’s too late to start training and you will easily be knocked out with one punch. Another scenario would be that you have been given one week to compete in a body-building contest against other contenders that have been lifting weights for years. You have never lifted weights, are overweight. It will be obvious to everyone that you did not take this seriously.
The same is true with knowing God and His Word and today is the day to start building faith so that we will be ready to stand strong when trials and tribulations come. I remember the song, “Wasted days and wasted nights” and this could not be a more clear explanation of our lives if we refuse to invest our time seeking God’s presence. Solomon told the Almighty that above all things he wanted more wisdom and understanding and the Lord was very pleased. How would you respond to God if He were to ask you what you would want more than anything in the world?
No person is called to speak for God who has not first listened to Him. We do not serve, write, nor speak because we want to say something: we communicate because we have something to say. God’s conviction is a stirring of the soul like burning coals and the flames of intensity are measured by our love. Do we have a passion for His refining fire and to be purified as a servant and messenger for His glory? Do not expect to grow in holiness if you spend little time alone with the Lord and do not take your covenant vow with Him seriously. One of the greatest revelations of wisdom is that we can be as close to Him as we want. Another is learning how to be quiet long enough to get acquainted with our soul and to listen in the silence for His still small voice. Do you desire to be alone with God? He longs to reveal His mysteries and one of these is the beauty of silence. The Lord speaks, “Be still and know that I am God” in Psalm 46:10. It is in the secret place of the Most High where we learn to have ears to hear what His Spirit has to say. When is the last time you closed yourself away with God to pray and listen? This is the most effective home remedy for fear and anxiety in existence.
If you’ve ever tried to explain the Bible with someone who has never been a seeker of spiritual knowledge and is without the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit, you have witnessed how difficult it is for the natural mind to grasp an understanding of the Christian life. Those who do not know Christ are unable to comprehend divine truth because they have a strong delusion over their conscience. Most people live in the natural default system of their emotions and guided by their fallen human nature. Our discernment is crucial for leading someone to God’s love, but we can only tell them, we cannot make anyone believe. William Wilberforce is quoted as saying, “You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say again that you did not know.”
Following God’s directions is one of the most difficult goals we will ever try to reach in our lives, but it is the meaning and purpose of this life. Let us keep praying that eyes will be opened and hearts will be changed in the name of Jesus. Satan’s domain is called a kingdom of darkness because his number one goal is to keep everyone from being able to see the light of God’s truth. We are all groping in the darkness until the Lord illuminates our conscience. Once we see His light, we have the choice to embrace it or walk away. If we choose to receive the reality of who He is and what He demands, we can begin to walk in His perfect peace and joy. We realize the warfare will continue to increase as our understanding and faith increases, however, as we trust Him with all of our hearts, He empowers us to become what He died for us to be.
