I have a slight disclaimer—I am not an overly charismatic and this is not me going into that realm. This is just an observation I have made while sitting with some friends. Hope you enjoy
I have been thinking through some different areas of the race and last night was really revealing to me. While sitting with a few of my good friends, we discussed different aspects of the race and how it might change me. I became slightly overwhelmed by the fact that I will be a changed person through this experience, but through it I will grow immensely. Every situation, every encounter will be a potential life-altering moment.
God will break down barriers I have set-up. What I mean by this is that most western culture Christians have placed God in a western culture box. Each of us have put limitations on God in some ways. Mine for instance is in the realm of miracles. In my own mind, I believe the shape of miracles has changed with western cultures advancement in medicine. We have become smarter and better equipped to combat life-threatening health conditions around us. To me, because of our advancement in medicine, we have less room for miracles of God to be seen. Confused…let me explain.
When you go to the doctor with a headaches and they take a brain scan, you have great chances to find the problem. Let’s say it was a small tumor that was the problem. Doctors found it in plenty of time to treat it. I consider this a miracle. God has given us the knowledge to treat certain diseases and thus he is still an intricate part of the process. For many people though, this is just science working at its finest. The miracle is overshadowed by the pride of our knowledge.
In other countries that don’t have these medicines and advancements in science, miracles take a different shape. Small things like a child overcoming a treatable problem is a miracle. People are miraculously healed of ailments, disease, and even cancer. This all happens without the western medicine practices we know.
I want God to break this box down. I do not want to be in the business of boxing up God, but instead I want him to overflow throughout my life. I know that it will be challenging to change my perspective, but I know that it is possible. I want to be like the father who brought his possessed son to Jesus. He uttered one of my favorite lines in scripture in Mark 9:24, “Lord I believe, help me overcome by unbelief.” I am sure I will be uncomfortable on the race. God will do things I have not seen before and reveal himself in new ways. My faith will be tested over and over.
I challenge each of you reading to think of how you place God in the box. I call it the western culture box, but you can call it what fits you. Do not keep God from working in your life and challenging you. Be open and responsive to his call and, when you go, be prepared to see God explode from that box and show you how he interacts with the world beyond The Western Culture Box.
