Drive-Thru Religion

DRIVE-THRU RELIGION

Listen to Drive-Thru Religion, by - Cindy Sproles

For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. - Galatians 5: 17 & 18


Sometimes I have to ask, "God, why don't You just say what You want me to do? Why do I have to figure it out?" Why not cut through the hoopla and formalities and just get to the point? I feel like so much time is wasted going through the "process," when the direct method is faster and easier. I know-He has a plan for me.


There are times that the Father places a thought in my head and it won't leave me alone. The idea spins and twists itself around my brain cells like an ivy vine. But that's all it is-an idea. When I try to write it down it looks silly. When I mention it, it sounds dumb, and when I make a half-hearted attempt at figuring out the plan, I usually foul things up.


So, I ask again. Why not just give me the plan, tell me the steps, let me pull my team together and run with the idea? What's so hard about that? There are times, I don't have a clue how to pray, much less what to pray for. Friends offer advice. They tell me, "Pray for what you want," but that seems selfish. Others say, "God wants you to have abundance, so ask." That feels pushy. Sometimes it's hard to differentiate between what our desire is and belongs God. Therein lays my point. "God, why don't You just say what You want me to do?"


We return to the age old remark, "God never promised being a Christian would be easy." I know that. The ideal Christian lifestyle would be to pull my car into the drive-up, roll the window down and place my order. "I'll take an order of "tell me what to do," two sides of answers, and one order of forgiveness to go." There now, that wasn't hard was it?


Here's the thing. When God tosses me a hint, if I'm not on top of things, Satan snags the fly ball, I miss it all. I flounder. My order never comes to my car, and worse yet, I paid the price to a non-refundable world. Having God give us the answers in advance would be nice, but we'd never learn. We'd never grow in our relationship with Him. If He gave us everything, we'd never have a need for Him. We'd never learn to depend fully on Him. My guess is, even though God has a plan, He probably still ponders when He hears me pray. So, I wait for His hints, listen quietly for His whisper in the wind, then try my best to obey.


No drive-thru religion for me. It's just practice, practice, practice-prepare, and when God is ready, I will see everything clearly.