You Don't Need My Religion

It seems that more and more often people want to challenge my beliefs or ask me my thoughts on this or that matter concerning "religion."  As a general rule, I tend to ignore the challenges, few people who challenge me are interested in doing more than proving me wrong, and it's just not worth my time.  I don't need to defend my God, He can do that Himself, and someone else's arguments aren't going to shake my faith.  I see it a lot in my comments, and many of the more ridiculous (including a diatribe on the gender of God) are simply deleted almost as quickly as they appear.  Sometimes I am asked what I think, and that I am happy to discuss, though I claim little expertise in any area and next week, God may completely turn my viewpoint on something I thought I understood.  I often use this arena (my blog) to flesh out my thoughts, ideas and plans, and clarify, even to myself, the myriad of thoughts, information and images that rattle through my brain on a daily basis.  It's not really meant as a pulpit, or an engine of conversion.  It's just me walking daily through my faith, fleshing out the desires of my soul into the actions of my body, attempting more and more to live as my Jesus would desire of me.  And really, the long and short of it is:

You don't need my religion

You don't need to worship the way I do, dress the way I do, share my thoughts or my words.  You don't need to be an eschatalogical scholar, a mid-tribulation rapture theorist, a predestination believer or any of those other fancy titles.  You really don't need anything that *I* have to offer.  Don't come looking to me for direction when all I have to offer is discussion of a life experience and a faith experience that is totally my own.  Use it to inspire if you must, but don't let it end there.  Seek your own experience with Jesus in a way that far outlives any second hand story.  Find your own answers.  Ask your own questions because Jesus is a personal Savior and He wants to speak directly to you, not through me. 

You Don't need MY religion.

My prayer is that if you are seeking to find something, here or elsewhere, that you will be encouraged to seek and find the God who is daily singing a love song to your soul.  If there is a hole in your life, I can assure you, it is God shaped and God sized, but don't take my word for it.  Taste and see for yourself.  Don't let the noise of the world drown out a love song that was written for you and you alone.  A love song that only One person will sing to you with a message no other can match.  Listen to the God that longs for you, that aches to hold you in his arms, who doesn't want you to clean yourself up and get your act together first, though those things will follow.  He wants you here. He wants you now.  He wants you to the point of death, and beyond the grave.

You Don't need my Religion

You need, what we all need, a Personal Savior.  A Savior who walks with you down the road, who sits when you sit, who runs when you run, who carries you when you can go no further.  Don't seek him in churches, in books (unless it's The Book), in scholars, in any man.  Seek Him for yourself.  And when you find him, you will be so enthralled with His incomparable, unexplainable, awesome, untamable, unfathomable power, love, grace and mercy (I could go on), that you will never again desire any other love.  That is when you will begin to be remade, to learn obedience, to have the mysteries of the universe revealed before your very eyes.  That is when you will find, not religion, but a relationship of your own, with a Savior who is your own, and whose love is great enough to encompass the whole universe.

But seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness, and everything else will be added to you.

Comments

[Teri Lynne]

LOVE THIS!! I'm going to print it out to share with one of the girls I am mentoring. She's always trying to figure out how to say this same thing. WONDERFUL!!

[Laurel]

This is why I love you...

[Alyice]

Wonderfully said. I am so tired of seeing Christians, myself included, tippy toe around our faith because we don't want to deal with the verbally abusive people that constantly challenge and/or belittle our faith. Confrontation isn't for everyone and God understands that. We don't all have to shout it from the mountain tops, God will use us where we are, as we are, and as He deems appropriate. And I pray we all hear His words this year as we move forward in our lives.

[Jensgalore]

I almost never talk about religion on my blog for exactly this reason. I hate running into people who just want to argue for the sake of arguing. If someone honestly wants to communicate, understand, share, I'm always thrilled to talk, but I hate to argue. I won't do it.

[Cheryl]

Rock on, friend!

[Amy Jo]

Amen, honey. I'm moving into this area in my own beliefs and opinions...except it's more of a "I don't need *your* religion" (not yours specifically, but in general)

[Stacey13]

wow....I sure hope my question from a few days ago didn't help to spur this...

[Stacey]

yep!

[pattie]

I truly appreciate this, because I get so tired of people following PEOPLE instead of the God of the Bible, of the Universe, Who spoke His Word in His Son. You know what I mean, and it's here plain as day. Thanks Dana! {{{HUGS}}}

[Heather]

just an amen

[Kris]

AMEN
Well put, girl!
I find so often I get defensive when questioned...great person taught me to change my vocabulary a bit. When asked what I believe - reply with "Well, the bible says THIS...and I believe the bible". NUFF SAID

[~Leann]

So EXCELLENT!!! This is a fantastic post my dear!!!!!

[Ashley]

AMEN!

[Nattie]

Can I get a GLORY!

[Aj]

WHOOOOOT!

Standing on my feet clapping and typing at the same time.

YOU SO GO GIRL!