Biblical Slap in the Face (Waking Up)

Face it, we turn to the Bible when we need to be comforted, when we need to hear God's voice, and sadly, too often, when we want to hear our own opinion in sacred Scripture.

I know that that is an attitude that I have had lately as I search God's word for the answers I crave. I want to hear what I think the solution is to my problems should be with sin struggles and the like, and I want to read my own thoughts off of the delicate pages that make up my copy of the Bible (and I can tell you that our own reasoning is so insignificant compared with what God gives us in the word, as you will find out). 

My studies have, thankfully, been getting deeper, I have been passing off the hour with ease while praying and reading, but maybe, just maybe, I have been blocking the answers from myself due to pride or whatever, I don't really know. 

Anyway, I was searching last night through the Scriptures. I was delving and savoring each word as it came to me off the pages, full of the sacred life that God so gave it. But there was one problem: it just wasn't applying to what I was praying for. It wasn't applying to my deepest cries and questions. It wasn't applying to what I thought I needed to hear.

And then, almost like God was standing there with this verse to throw at my unexpecting heart, I read this: 

"...how is it that you are turning back to

those weak and miserable forces?

Do you wish to be enslaved to them

all over again?"

Um...BOOM

He seized my attention and I started searching again. 

I came to understand that this was me, these "foolish Galatians" reflected my heart. And they are all of us, as we struggle against the sins that seem to hold us captive. Lets read the context: "Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods (idols). But now that you know God--or rather are known by God--how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved to them all over again?" (Gal 4:8-9)

Ouch. Maybe it is the sarcasm that really brings this into perspective for me, but I realized that God was telling me: "Payton, I continually set you free from everything that is holding you 'captive'. But you keep turning around and running right back into the pit. Come with me, and lets run away from it together, I have more than enough strength for you to escape. "

Now come on, lets get real. Lets take what I would call a "biblical slap in the face" and use it to run away from what we have been set free from. God knows us and we know God, lets stop turning to those horrible forces in our lives that the Bible describes as "weak" and "miserable" and lets start turning to the one who promises us that we are "more than conquerors" with His help. Lets use the Bible to give us these little messages that can wake us up from our slumber and help us rebel against the Rebel. 

So why did I write this? Well you decide. Are you learning to run away from what traps you like I am? Or are you learning to study the Bible prayerfully like I am? Or is it something else? 

Study the Word, keep it always in your heart, pray to the One, obey His commands, love Him with everything, and show that love to others.