I was going to write about why I haven’t written recently, but I found that to be somewhat ironic and significantly insignificant.  Facts; I haven’t written recently, and I’m going to try to change that.  That’s all anyone needs to really know (myself included).

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.”
-James 1:22-25

There is an identity crisis epidemic in God’s church, because too many people are good at KNOWING and terrible at GOING.  I was in Barnes and Noble the other day, looking through the “Christian Inspiration” books (which I find to be a strange name for a section without any Bibles in it), and was astonished at how many books there are that are basically scripture-flavored self-help books.  Even in Christianity, there is obviously an incredible amount of insecurity and uncertainty that people are trying to keep at bay with these books.  And the funniest/worst part about it is that 99% of these books say the same things.  Which makes me think a few things:

1. No one remembers what they read
2. No one believes what they read
3. No one follows through with what they read

I don’t think the first one is true.  I’m really forgetful about a lot of things, but I highly doubt every person forgets every part of every book they’ve read.  So it’s not an issue of knowledge.  And I don’t think the second one is true either…as evidenced by how MANY books there are about the same things, people clearly want these things to be true.  And as evidenced by how many NEW books keep being written about the same things, people don’t think it’s worthless information, or a trick or hoax.  So it’s not an issue of belief.

Of all the people in the world, Christians ought to be the most joyful, the most peaceful, the most hopeful, the most confident, the most secure — because we have a joy that is eternal, a peace that is unimaginable, a hope that is promised, a confidence that does not fade, and a security that lasts forever.  So why are there so many books outside of the Bible that try to guide us into these things?  Why is there such an identity crisis?

Because too often we collect knowledge without gaining experience.  Too often we know what God desires of us, but we want an easier way.  Too often we’re afraid of trading our preferences, free time, money, and habits for the work of the kingdom of God.  And so we read the Word and hear our pastors’ sermons and go to our Bible studies — looking in the mirror, as James says — and walk away already having forgotten who we are in Jesus.  Knowing of God’s promises and living in God’s promises are two vastly different things.  Knowing and believing aren’t enough to keep you inside God’s protection, provision, and power (James 2:19).  But when we do what we know, our ideologies become realities, and Christ’s freedom is poured out, and all the things we’ve heard but haven’t seen become the lens by which we see everything else.