“I don’t want my life to be explainable without the Holy Spirit” (Forgotten God, Chan, p. 142)
I just finished up Forgotten God (for the second time), and though the entire book was challenging, this quote keeps ringing in my ears. I think this quote reminds me of that convicting question of “Would your life look any different if you weren’t a Christian?”
But the way that Chan approaches this idea nails the LIFE WITH THE SPIRIT aspect right on the head. I pray that someone finds this note, but I am more so making sure I write this down for me to find again another day.
So, what does Chan mean by an unexplainable life? Chan discusses the fruit of the Spirit (and what the Bible says one looks like who is walking with the Spirit), but his description adds light to what I’ve read from Scripture before.
Chan basically says that Christians are already-but-not-yet citizens of another world — a supernatural world. They (we) are aliens to this world. We are citizens of a world where there is no more pain or sorrow. In the Kingdom of God things like grief and anger and wrongdoing just doesn’t exist! But, he asks his readers (believers specifically) WHY IN THE WORLD there are non-believers who are more joyful, more kind, more patient, more peaceful, more sacrificial, more forgiving, more _____, more ____, more _____, than Christians?
Because Christians are citizens of another world, are the dwelling place of God (The Spirit of God lives IN us!), Christians ought to live a life that is unexplainable.
You know how people marvel at Superman’s ability to jump buildings or fly? Those things are, literally, of another world! Well, onlookers should marvel at believers love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control. They should wonder where the strength of believers self-control comes from —
I am deeply convicted by these thoughts. I’m nice, I’m good. I have some faith and pretty good self-control. None of those areas would I tag “unexplainable” or “supernatural.” When I should be at peace I worry. I am self-seeking, I am sarcastic and critical. I am fearful and doubtful. My life feels everything but unexplainable.
But I am the dwelling place of the Spirit of God. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead … RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD … lives in me. Tiredness, grumpiness, a little hunger, exclusion, ridicule have nothing on me. Because I profess the work of Jesus Christ, I’m a new creation and can daily accept the Gospel of Christ, call on the Holy Spirit and God the Father.
I’m tired of living a natural and explainable life.
We’re called to so much more than that.
