Hearing the Same Old Things

I'm not really sure how in the world we ended up on the subject (we were supposed to be talking about the knowledge of God that a godly person possesses), but last night we got into a discussion on the importance of continually hearing God's Truth over and over, even if it is the same truth.

That got me to thinking...

We seem to have a quest for always wanting to hear new things. If a preacher doesn't tell us something new about the text during his sermon, we might walk away saying, "I didn't get anything out of that." But is that always what we need? Certainly we need to be hearing new things (or else there is no progress to our knowledge of God). But honestly, sometimes we just need to hear the same Gospel that we've heard a million times before.

One of the worst habits that I've spotted in myself is my response to encouragement. It usually goes something like this:

Ryan: I'm really struggling with ______.

Friend (in response to my struggle): Don't forget when you're struggling with that that God is ...

Ryan: Yeah, I know.

What an ignorant, arrogant way for me to respond! I must stop doing this. I'm telling the other person, "Look, don't you think I already know that? Do you really think that you are telling me something new?"

But what my friend is doing at that moment is not telling me some new revelation that he/she thinks I have never seen or understood before. My friend is reasoning that my struggle (whether it is an intellectual, emotional, or behavioral struggle) is inconsistent with this particular truth of God. Whether I know it or not is a moot point. It is the inconsistency that is the problem. And so my friend rightly discerns that I need to hear that truth of God (whatever it happens to be) once again. God works through reminders. That's the most important part of this post. God works through reminders.

I recently read 1 Peter 5:12-15

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Peter was unashamed in his encouragement and instruction. He's saying, "Look, I know you know this! But you need to be reminded of it nonetheless. And I'm going to keep on reminding you of this as long as I am in this body." Yes! Thank you Apostle Peter. Thank you for liberating us from trying to come up with new things to encourage each other with. You don't always have to come up with something new or clever. If your friend is struggling, just tell them what they need to hear, even if it's the same old truth that they've heard a million times before.

Peter says that his reminding them of God's truth will have two effects:

1. As they are washed with this truth over and over, it will stir them up.
   
   In other words, they'll actually move beyond just knowing these truths to doing these truths. His reminding them acts as a cattle prod, gently nudging them toward godliness.


2. As they are reminded, they will grow in familiarity with this subject, even to the point that they will be able to recall it at any time.
   
   So reminding serves not just the behavioral purpose but also a learning purpose, in that the more you hear some truth the more familiar you become with that truth.

So friend, next time I (or your friend, fellow church member, spouse) tell you during your depression about the death of Jesus Christ in your place, as your substitute, bearing God's wrath in your place, or next time I tell you about the absolute hope of the return of Jesus Christ and the hope of glory in the midst of your extreme pain, please join me in forsaking, "Yeah, I know" as a lame response. Just listen. Just listen and receive the transforming truth of God for the millionth time. And instead of allowing our pride to say in our hearts, "Of course, does he think I don't know this already." Instead of that, let's say in our hearts, "God, make this knowledge effective and transforming."

Comments

[Kat]

Here, here.

This blog reminds me of two days ago...
I've been struggling with a failed relationship I had with the opposite sex. I knew it was bad for me, so I was the one who had to break it off. In my mind, I thought the man would change; I thought he would wait for me until we were both on the same biblical page and mindset...
He didn't. Recently, I found out he is in another relationship.
I couldn't fathom how quickly one could move from one girl to the next. It made me feel empty, worthless and it made me regret the time we spent together.
I compromised my faith. I gave up on God for a little bit so this man and I could "try" to work it out.

While sitting in the Starbucks cafe, I was urged to tell Jessica (who was working) how I was feeling. In the midst of my conversation, I broke down. She asked me how often I feel the way I do, and I responded, "Almost every day."

Immediately she started repeating the same rhetoric I've heard a thousand times...but...it was the same truth I needed to hear. "Kat, God never promised you that man." "You made that up in your mind." (At least, I think that was the verbatim way she said it)
As I started reflecting, she was right. God never promised me any of what I wasn't getting.

I was waiting on some super-spiritual thing to happen when it was just a notion made up in my own mind. It was a lie. And with that lie came other lies I believed about myself: I am worthles.

Jessica combatted that with saying, "God is wholy pleased with you."

WOW.

She was right. In the light of eternity were any of my feelings that important?
NO. I was wallowing in self-pity and shame.

I just love Philippians 3:1-2: "Not that I have obtained all this or have already been made perfect and but I press on to take hold of that for which Jesus took hold of me . . . But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind straining toward what is ahead."
I knew all those truths, but I needed to hear them so I could act them out.

I loved this blog. I am so glad I have a sister in Christ that will preach truth (even when she's busy at work.)

[Becky Porter]

Kat -

Thanks for helping us work this out with a real-life example. And I don't know who this "Jessica" girl is but she sounds like an awesome girl :)

[Jessica]

Thanks Kat for your sweet comments. I really liked this post Ryan and I wanted to comment too.

I think the fact that we need to hear things that we already "know" shows us how much we each other. Does that make sense? It is so difficult to preach to yourself the truths you need to hear because they are the truths that are obviously not at the forefront of your mind or else you wouldn't need to hear them. Okay... that maybe isn't so clear. Basically what I want to say is that we really need brothers or sisters in Christ to live life with us and preach to us when we do those things or feel those ways which are not consistent with God's character and actions. (What a great way of putting it too: that sin is that which is not consistent with the nature and work of God)

I hope that there are many of us ladies at Hickory Hill longing for those deep relationships so that by the encouragement an rebukes of our sisters we can grow up in Christlikeness. I think that I need to be more deliberate to build those relationships!!!

I know that I would be so blessed by having a sister with me at all times to help me combat the sinfulness of my heart with the truth of who God is and what he has done. If I am tempted to be angry or bitter at work I need someone to preach to me about the great love of God and how he has forgiven our offenses. When I am tempted to be selfish at home, I need someone to remind me of our selfless Christ who did not claim what he was owed but instead lived as a humble servant of man and God.