War of Words - Chapter 6 - Following the King For All the Wrong Reasons

It is easy to look at God as the deliverer of our dreams, rather than a sovereign God who is working to make us Holy and prepared for eternity. In this chapter, Mr. Tripp tackles our heart motivations and false expectations head on.  He says that many people are moved and motivated:

"not by a submission to God's will and a burning desire for his glory, but by our own set of personal desires and dreams." ~War of Words, Following the King for All the Wrong Reasons

I think Mr. Tripp hit the bulls eye!  I know, out of my own experience, that when I struggle with something the Lord has allowed, it is because I want something else instead. As Mr. Tripp points out, it is a struggle between physical and spiritual bread. He goes on  to say that many people come to Jesus with hopes that God will fix things the way we, ourselves, think is best. Fortunately, God is not bound to our desires! He provides a better fix  - with an eternal perspective.

"Abundant life is not your spouse, children, house, car, possessions, job, friends, or church. Abundant life is Jesus Christ!"~War of Words, Following the King For All the Wrong Reasons

One of my favorite books, Stepping Heavenward: One Woman's Journey to Godliness (Inspirational Library Series), has a line in it that says, "To Learn Christ is life." So simple isn't it? A dear friend of mine who has recently gone home to be with Jesus, once said to me, "God has been good to me. He has given me more than 80 years to learn His grace."  Amen!  His grace encompasses both the good and the bad things that come into our lives. Jesus has much to teach us in every circumstance!

So, what happens when God doesn't give us what we had expected in any particular circumstance? What if our expectations aren't anything elaborate or unusual? What if all we want is a place to sleep at night? Or a dad to love us? Or a better job?

Mr. Tripps says:

"To the degree that you have based your life on something other than the Lord, to that degree God's love and the hope of the gospel will not comfort you."~War of Words, Following the King for All the Wrong Reasons

This point was recently driven home again, while reading Rhinestone Jesus: Saying Yes to God When Sparkly, Safe Faith Is No Longer Enough by Kristen Welch.  In it Kristen talks about meeting a child while walking through a slum built atop a garbage dump in Kenya.  She was devastated at the squalor and stench, but there was a little boy with an ear-to-ear grin and she asked him why he was so happy.  His reply?  "Because I have Jesus."

Oh, how I want faith like that little child!

I am ever learning that I must exercise surrender to God. I must refocus during difficult times by taking my eyes off the circumstances and putting them onto Jesus. I must see Him as the only thing I need. When I don't, I am worshiping something else.

As I was reading War of Words I kept hearing something that was NOT being said. Mr. Tripp is not saying we should never speak words that reveal the hardship we suffer in difficult circumstances. Let's face it...life can complicated and full of thorns. People face hardship all of the time.  It's difficult to watch a child die, to survive abuse or assault, have a marriage fail, etc... The waves crash over us. Throughout the Psalms we see David describing the awful reality of persecution, warfare and sin. Those details were real and raw. He was sometimes overwhelmed...occasionally fearful, and yet, by the end of every Psalm he was praising the Lord. He never grumbled and complained AGAINST God. He simply stated the truth...and then He worshiped the Lord!

But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
    may your salvation, God, protect me.

I will praise God’s name in song
    and glorify him with thanksgiving. ~Psalm 69: 29-30

I think it's perfectly okay to be real about our difficulties. It's okay to express our sorrow and disappointment.  It is okay to grieve something that's not going to happen. It's okay to be sad. (After all, God knows our emotions anyways.) There is nothing shameful or sinful in telling the truth. We should not lock ourselves up for fear of "grumbling and complaining," or diminishing our testimony to God.

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

As long as our hearts are surrendered to Jesus, knowing that He is enough, our words will not testify negatively.  What is in our hearts will spill from our lips.  In fact, by telling the truth of our circumstances and then by continuing to walk with Him, we speak volumes for the love and power He gives us. To see someone hurting, struggling...and yet following, is a mighty testimony!! (Corrie ten Boom's  The Hiding Place comes to mind.)

However, we should not grumble or complain against God. Obviously, cursing God for our hardship is wrong. To do so, is to wave a flag in the air that says, "I worship something or someone else than God." If we find ourselves angry with God, we should immediately take heed to go to Him in confession, asking Him to help us change our hearts. We must work towards agreeing with Him...receiving in surrender whatever circumstances He has deemed appropriate for our lives.  No easy task, I know!  I don't utter these words flippantly.  I've grumbled...and repented...and struggled some more.  Sanctification is a life long process.

So, once again, we see how our right or wrong thinking affects our words.

What happens to my prayers and talk when I don't get what I want?  What happens when something prevents me from achieving my dream?  How does my talk express thankfulness to the Lord?  What happens to my talk when someone sins against me?  What happens to my prayers when my expectations are not met?

Still need the book? You can get it here: War of Words: Getting to the Heart of Your Communication Struggles (Resources for Changing Lives)

Recommended Resources:

Stepping Heavenward: One Woman's Journey to Godliness (Inspirational Library Series)

The Hiding Place

Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts

All Things for Good (Puritan Paperbacks)

Grateful for Grace,

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