I have been thinking a lot lately. Its been awhile since i got my thoughts on a page. Its funny how when you go through deep pits of despair you find it hard to share with people and you guys who read this. Maybe there is lot in that! often when the chips are down we strive to become more independent in thinking rather than dependent. It's this whole concept that has me intrigued and as i sit here i really feel that God is speaking to me about this.
Independence is what we are taught from a young age! our parents, mentors and people we look up too preach a message of independence. And this is a message that is certainly one held by our society and our world. Independence is the effort to take control of things in your life. It might be how much money you can earn, or maybe the house you want, or maybe the job you want to keep. All these things we believe we have control over but the reality is we don't know what tomorrow holds. It was just a few days ago that i was watching TV and saw a tragedy at an American air show, when a plane literally fell out of the sky, crashing into a stand packed full of people. (my prayers to those affected) I reckon a lot of those people would have felt like they were going to have control over the events of that day. It ordinarily would have been a great day to watch guys pushing the limits of aero dynamics. Unfortunately there were events that wouldn't have been in any body's minds.
To strive for independence is seen as a good thing in our society, but my question is it a God thing? I think it all stems way back to the beginning when Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden (Genesis 2 - 3). God creates the garden for his creation to dwell in, to live in harmony with God and depend on. But what happens is Adam and Eve are wooed into a path of independence. This pattern emerged early and since then has followed ever since for generations and even to this day. It has moved as i said from a bad thing to now a very good thing to strive for. Now God could have done away with us long ago, but he loves us his creation and will never give up on us. He will always try to correct our ways and help us to realign with him in his plans of dependence! In John's gospel Jesus gives his listeners a very real illustration of what dependence is suppose to look like. He likens us to be like the branches connecting with the vine and therefore the source of growth, stability and life. In verse 5 Jesus says "Those who remain in me and i in them will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." There is a lot of truth in these words. And ultimately this is where life is found and being dependent on the vine is truth. Actually the more i think about it our striving for independence is actually a myth. For whether you believe in God or not, we actually are all dependent on something. it just what you choose to be dependent on.
I know that this lesson of dependence is something that i have been wrestling with for the past few months as i serve in my role in Christian Surfers. And more that i couldn't control factors in my life the more independent i tried to become. As i sit here writing it strikes me that trying to be independent and follow God's calling is hard, actually it is impossible. The reason is that independence is not even a reality its a myth. Dependence is the way to go! for life living in isolation lacks meaning and doesn't give the people the chance to discover a very God character trait within them. I challenge you whether you know Jesus or not to steer your life not to independence but to dependence. Dependence restores the order of what was supposed to happen! What are you dependent on and more importantly who?
Bless ya heaps!
Justin
