Tuesday, August 01, 2006

why do i even bother?

This is gonna be a complainer of a post. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Why do I keep trying to share my faith with others? Why do I spend oodles of time and effort listening to people, talking to people, introducing people to Jesus....and all they want to think about is this New-Agey-existential-feel-good-i'm-okay-you're-okay CRAP???

I'm particularly irritated with a certain Eastern religion right now. I won’t name it, as I’m totally disinterested in getting into a debate over it. But I have to wonder: Why in the world is this religion so attractive? The founder of this religion never offered to sacrifice his life for his followers; he never offered to give them something that any other human might not give them. So why is anybody interested in following him?

If I named the religion I’m thinking of and said everything I’m thinking about it, I’d draw a firestorm of criticism and debate. Yep, narrow-minded and despicably conservative, that’s me.

But if I got on here and deplored Christianity, people would cheer. I am so tired of it being politically correct to embrace all religions and schools of thought except the Christian one. It’s politically correct and popular to bash Christianity, and it makes me sick.

So why do I bother to continue teaching? The moment I open my mouth in favor of Jesus, people flick a switch to “OFF” in their brains. Or maybe it’s a switch labeled “Naïve, dogmatic, arrogant Christian—stop listening NOW”. Why do I keep at this thankless task?

I guess I just can’t help myself. God might call me a good and faithful servant; I’m sure a worldly therapist would say I'm delusional and compulsion-driven. Sometimes, I do wonder which of them would be right.

Gah. I'd really like to be less frustrated right now.

But I keep at it because I believe him. I keep at it because I love him.

I keep at it because he loves me back.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

you keep at it because it's what you have been called to do. you keep at it because it's what you were created to do. you keep at it because you are striving to be the woman that God needs you to be. you keep at it because your influence and example help others to realize what they have been called to do, what they were created to do, and the person that God needs them to be. you are my dear friend and i love you because you keep at it! -mandy :)

thegermanygirl said...

Mandy: Thank you so much for writing me these things. That is just the kind of encouragement I've been needing. I'm saving your words in my journal as one of the pages I turn to when I get discouraged. It means a lot to me to get your praise and encouragement. Thank you! I love you, too!!!

Ja-9: Thanks, sweetie. That's a reminder I need to hear, too: That I'm not always going to see the results of my efforts, but that doesn't mean nobody's listening. I need that reminder so often! I'm glad that I can help give you courage....you give me courage, too! I'm looking forward to your being back in Chemnitz! I love you too!