Passivity and Rest.

There is a danger in being passive when God wants you to work alongside Him. We can let God drift by us when he wants us to join Him. We expect God to do everything entirely by His initiative rather than taking the initiative alongside Him and in creative expression to His glory. “Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away” (Hebrews 2:1).

Suppose we have a problem with bitterness and ask God to remove the bitterness. God doesn’t do things against our will. God doesn’t have the problem of bitterness we do, and God will not violate our will. What steps do we need to take to deal with the root of the problem, and what steps can we take to reduce our desire to be bitter? It will take discipline. We can also pray that we will receive God’s assistance in the Spirit, which empowers our will. However, God does not take it over our will.

When we pray, do we pray that God cause a person to be saved? God will not force a person to convert against their will. We can pray that a person would come to the end of themselves, that God will bring Christian people into their lives to impact them and so on. We too often pray passively and live passively.

We also may be passive about our spiritual growth. We desire to be closer to God and be a person who is truly a person of prayer, who really knows the Bible, but we do nothing to bring it about. We don’t learn from those who have gone before us, and learn how to pray by praying. If we don’t implement the necessary discipline to be people of prayer, it will not happen. We must persevere in the ebb and flow like the tide in the progress of prayer. We say a few prayers but are not quiet enough for God to guide us in a conversational prayer or a listening prayer with Him.

We don’t take the initiative in wisdom to speak to people about the gospel. We don’t reach out, and we are not actively involved in apprenticeship with Jesus to learn to do all that Jesus said to be and do. Perhaps we think that if God wants to save people, He can do it without us, and if He wants people to be disciples, there is the Holy Spirit and the Bible. Yes, God is the prime mover or initiator, but He has called us to be co-workers together with Him.

If we need to buy a car, will God write it on the ground or sky to buy a Toyota or a Chevrolet? We make wise decisions based on preferences, reliability, economics and other factors. God will guide us behind the scenes when we seek Him, but we make the choice. This also relates to other factors of life. Do we expect God to speak to us audibly for guidance? He leads our thinking and speaks to us most often through our minds. We need to learn to walk in step with the Holy Spirit and move out of the compassion of the Lord upon our hearts and to recognize his guidance.

If we are to grow Spirituality and be transformed into Christlikeness, there are spiritual disciplines we must practice. (see The Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster and The Spirit of the Disciples by Dallas Willard) These disciplines are about setting ourselves towards the Lord.

Above all, we must learn to develop a life of prayer if we are to draw very near to God and be transformed. We can start by spending five minutes in quiet before God, with our minds focused entirely on God. Learn to listen and worship God at the same time. Only let thoughts of God be our focus. If we are distracted, as does happen, use a word like Jesus to refocus. He will quench our thirst and, in the process, give us a greater thirst for all that is about Him—His desires and truth. Then we can add intercessory prayer and prayers of petition, thankfulness and worship. This is the prayer of quiet—a quiet body, heart and mind to hear God to be cleansed, empowered and guided.

We can learn to rest in Him. To rest in Him is not just to be passive, although at times we will need to wait upon God. (Acts 16:6-10) It is to be an active participant and put our weight or trust in Him. The book of Hebrews talks about entering God’s rest. The children of Israel, at least that generation, refused to enter God’s rest, the promised land. Instead, they were passive and wanted God to give them plan B or do it for them. They were to conquer the land, but they refused to take up the challenge and fight. They were passive. (see Hebrews 4:1-13) They didn’t trust God and act on the confidence in and of God.

God restores our souls. (Psalm 23:2) This is a process in which we participate with God. He transforms us as we are fed spiritually and learn to pray and learn to pray as a way of life. Spending quality time with God in prayer. Don’t think it is easy, and that is why many Evangelicals don’t take up the cross or the challenge of prayer. As Leonard Boase said in his book, The Prayer of Faith: “We began this explanation of prayer by insisting that there is a darkness, a desolation, which is morally certain to come upon all who persevere in prayer.” However, it is not all about desolation; there is much consolation in prayer. Again, Boase says, “The safeguard against this danger is detachment from oneself: The paramount aim in prayer is not the enjoyment of consolation; it is not even our own growth in holiness; it is the worship of God.”

Jesus said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’” (Matthew 21:13). We are not to use Christianity to primarily enhance our physical resources, the worlds’ way, but in Christ’s way. We are to avoid using God and not serving him in love. R.C. Sproul said, “The church is not a business, it is a body.”

Everything comes out of the overflow of our relationship with God in prayer. If we are people of prayer, we will be faithful to God and bear much fruit. (John 15:1-17) We will be part of the ministry of evangelism and discipleship. If ever there was a man of prayer, it was Francis of Assisi, but he was also out on the streets sharing and proclaiming the gospel. Even when it was not well received, and also when it was. He still impacts people today.

God has given us a great calling, and that calling involves His Kingdom now and yet to come. We are to be coworkers together with Him. He has given us that privilege, for he desires many to come to repentance and be saved. (Philippians 4:3,2 Peter 3:9) We also participate with Him in giving our tithes and offerings and in the ministry of the Kingdom and the church. (Malachi 3:8)

Will you join Jesus in the ministry of the Word, discipleship and compassion? He carries the load with you. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). When there is joy in the Lord, and we walk in His strength, and therefore we rest in Him, the burden is light. God’s love makes the burden light.

There is way too much passivity taught today. Sure, people will get saved and become somewhat of disciples if we do nothing, for God is at work, but Jesus told us and set the example in evangelizing and discipleship. Jesus said, “teaching them (to do) or observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20). God is at work by the Holy Spirit. Will you join Him? Jesus said, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5:17). Let us join Jesus in the work.

How many more people would be saved if Christians took evangelism very seriously and were equipped to do it effectively, and how many more Christians would go on to maturity if they were correctly, compassionately and earnestly apprenticed to walk in truth and grace with Jesus? We must be willing, teachable and available for this to happen. We are co-workers together with God. (1 Corinthians 3:9)