Unreasonable Thinking

Scotty Smith, who is a long-term minister in Franklin, Tennessee (where a bunch of Christian musicians hang out) told a story of when he first got out of seminary. When he was interviewing for a youth minister job with a large church, one of the staff asked him, "What personal issues are you struggling with at this season in your life?"

With great confidence Scotty told this minister, "I don't have any questions left for which the Bible does not give me sufficient answers, and since I discovered the sovereignty of God, I don't struggle with anything."

Looking back on that pompous answer, Scotty realizes now what a Pharisee he was. He writes, "Pharisees have answers for everything. They confuse knowledge with spirituality. I had mastered the theology of grace without being mastered by the grace of that theology!" Over his two year period with that church, he was eventually broken of his pride. The Lord used a bold young woman to bring him to his knees, when she told him that he was a great teacher but didn't know how to love people.1

This story came to mind today as I reflected on a very interesting chapter I read last night in Joyce Meyer's popular book, Battlefield of the Mind. She told of how she became very confused when she tried to understand everything about God and the Christian life. Over time the Lord taught her that such reasoning can get in the way of knowing Him. Seeking full explanations from God can lead to idolatry and, as Scotty Smity illustrated so well from his early years in ministry, spiritual pride.

Joyce said that reasoning can become an addiction. Trying to figure everything out made her feel in control. And yet it wasn't until God revealed to her the foolishness of man's reason that she finally gave it up. And only then did she feel at peace with Him.2

I relate so well to these experiences of Joyce and Scotty. Years ago after spending a few sessions with a counselor, he told me, "Jim, you are such an analytical person." I thought that was a compliment. And while I don't want to downplay the value of good thinking, I see now that being over analytical can not bring the peace that Jesus offers. It certainly didn't for me. Rather than trying to figure out all the nuances of water baptism, or understand how the Holy Spirit works (which I tried to for many years), I needed to humble myself before the Lord and just surrender myself to His work in my life -- including my mind.

Having faith in Jesus, being in love with Jesus and loving others can lead you to do some rather "unreasonable" things. Like the preacher I heard once who said that the Lord told him to give his set of Ping golf clubs to his brother. This didn't sound reasonable to me -- especially since I love golf so much! But promptings from the Holy Spirit won't make sense to the worldly mind. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:14, the natural man does not understand the spiritual man.

However, when by faith we follow these promptings from Jesus in our heart, He certainly blesses our obedience. Even if it seems, well,unreasonable.

Jim

1. Scotty Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman, Speechless (Zondervan Publishing House, 1999), p. 64.

2. Joyce Meyer, Battlefield of the Mind (Warner Faith, 1995), pp. 99-102.