“It’s common for people to enter environments where God is moving and to feel uncomfortable. . . . Your comfort level should not be the thing that determines whether you can believe something is of God or not.”- Banning Liebscher
As Banning Liebscher continues Chapter 6 of Rooted, he underscores that Jesus not only wants, but expects us to know Him through the Scriptures. And a sure sign that His word abides in us is that we search the Scriptures. For example, consider the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Rather than tell the disciples the women at the tomb were right, Jesus scolded them for their unbelief. Thus, Jesus wanted them to recognize Him based on the Scriptures.
Furthermore, Pastor Liebscher asserts, neither feeling nor popular opinion determine truth in (a) our lives or (b) society. For Scripture sustains the roots of truth, not our feelings or opinions. Yet, we must value connecting to God emotionally. Also, the Lord speaking to us carries an emotional component.
However, every aspect of our experience must be tested as well as understood through the lens of Scripture. Most noteworthy, Banning emphatically states, “What we imagine God to be like shouldn’t come into the conversation.”
Therefore, we need a sure foundation when rains, floods, and wind assault us. Hence, Pastor Liebscher explains:
“Life is going to be full of discomfort and uncertainty. . . . The only way we will withstand such pressures is by having our foundations solidly build, our roots firmly planted, is knowing and doing the Scriptures. That is the only rock we can stand on in the swirl of conflicting emotions and perceptions.”
In conclusion, Banning observes that rooting ourselves in the Scriptures:
- helps us stand on the firm foundation of truth instead of relying on our thoughts and emotions
- bring correction and order to our internal world. As a result, our thoughts and emotions in time come to reflect that truth.
Today’s question: How would you describe your comfort level when entering environments where God’s moving? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Under the authority of Scripture”
