18 February

When Deconstruction Builds a Stronger Faith

By Craig Groeschel

What do you do if you discover your house has some issues? Some wood is rotten or there’s a crack in the foundation. The house you were proud of, that made you feel secure, that was an extension of who you are, isn’t quite what you thought it was.

What do you do now?

When that house is your faith, you deconstruct.

As a pastor, I’ve increasingly had my own experiences with this over the past several years as I’ve talked with so many people about their faith-related questions.

Here are some different definitions for you:

  • Deconstruction means abandoning all things Christian—becoming an agnostic or atheist.
  • Deconstruction means staying committed to Jesus but abandoning religious institutions and churches, or at least those that don’t live up to the teachings of Jesus as they see them.
  • Deconstruction means continuing in a life of devotion to Jesus and participation in the church while rejecting a lot of the related cultural and political issues.

Here’s an even simpler definition, which seems consistent with how Jesus ministered to people: Deconstruction is a spiritual journey during which a Christian examines his or her faith to release what’s contrary to God’s heart and embrace what’s true.

To be clear, deconstruction done poorly can leave a wake of spiritual carnage. I have witnessed it personally. On the other hand, I have also seen that deconstruction done well can be spiritually beneficial. Not only do I think deconstruction can be positive; I’d offer that sometimes it’s necessary.

You could even make the case that, at times, Jesus was helping people deconstruct their faith.

For instance, in Matthew 5:43, Jesus says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” Everyone listening would have thought, Yes, I have heard that. Not only have I heard it, I like it! And I live by it! If they’re nice, be nice back, but if they’re not, slit their chariot wheels when they’re not looking! Jesus continues in Matthew 5:44, “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Jesus was deconstructing their belief system. He was helping them see that what they believed was not true to God’s heart or his Kingdom’s values. In fact, five times in Matthew 5, Jesus says, “You have heard it said, but I say…” He was essentially saying, let’s tear down your incorrect beliefs so we can build new beliefs that are true.

Something powerful happens when we’re honest about our doubts, spiritual questions, and disappointments. God does something special when we take what’s hidden in the darkest part of our hearts and expose it to his light.

We would be wise to find the courage to express and examine our beliefs to see if they truly line up with God’s Word. We may assume our beliefs all come from the Bible but that’s probably not as true as we think. Too often we subconsciously absorb our beliefs from other people or from our church or culture, and then assume they’re from the Bible.

Even when we go straight to Scripture, we can’t help but read it through our own filters, such as:

  • Our family background and how we were raised.
  • Our current circumstances, challenges, opportunities, or trials.
  • Our personality and our biases.
  • The teachings of the church we grew up in or currently attend.

So, while many of our beliefs about God are probably true and biblically accurate, because we’re flawed people who learn from flawed people, we’ve also picked up some flawed ideas along the way.

For example, you may wrongly believe:

  • “God will never give you anything you can’t handle.” When you experience something in life you can’t handle, you feel like God hasn’t been true to his promise. But God never promised that! This often gets confused with what Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “[God] will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” He talks about temptation, not life circumstances.
  • “If you name it, you can claim it. God will always give you anything you ask for!” This is based on Bible verses but an incomplete and inaccurate understanding of them. For example, John 15:7 is one often used in this teaching, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.“ Besides the qualifying phrases of “if you remain in me and my words abide in you” the context of John 15 is Jesus’ teaching that we are the branches and God is the vine. Verse 5 is crucial: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Focusing only on “ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” is like hearing one sound bite out of an interview.
  • “As a Christian, you have to belong to this political party, which is God’s political party, and the people who belong to any other are not true Christians.” The problem is that Jesus did not come to establish a political kingdom. And that all parties have policies and ideologies that are true to God’s heart and others that are antithetical to God’s heart. In the days of Jesus’ ministry, there were essentially two “political parties”—the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Throughout the gospels, he showed no partiality toward either. Yet, to one curious Pharisee, Jesus did say in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” “Whoever believes” and “the world” is clearly his invitation to anyone in any party.
  • “God wants you happy. He loves you and his greatest joy is your happiness.” This sounds good! And it is true! But only in part. God does love you, which is why his highest purpose is not your happiness, but your holiness. And if your pursuit of happiness trips up your pursuit of holiness, then it’s not God’s will. After his faith had been reconstructed, Peter wrote, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy’” (1 Peter 1:15-16).

Or you may have grown up in a church that twisted the Bible to support racism or the claim that bowling, movies, and pants on women are sinful.

Then one day you wake up and realize everything you believe may not actually be biblical. Therefore, it may not actually be true.

Or, worse, you don’t realize that it’s not biblical, but you do realize that it’s not true. And now, what do you do? Do you have to chuck your faith? Do you walk away from Jesus?

No.

You don’t.

You deconstruct. You let go of what’s not true.

 You reconstruct. You hold on to what is true.

Too often, instead of throwing out the bad and keeping the good, people throw everything away, even the parts that are true. Finally, what they’re left with is nothing. Or, sadly, they become toxic and bitter. Now they have to figure out how to navigate life without any real foundation or framework.

At first, it might feel freeing. You’re not confined to your old house anymore! My son-in-law James Meehan is one of the primary communicators to the young people in our church, and he helped my thinking for this chapter. James says it this way: “The empty spot where your ‘house’ used to be will make you feel empty on the inside too.” Why? Because instead of deciding to reconstruct your belief system by finding what is true and beautiful, you took a wrecking ball to it and lost the entire thing.

            But there is good news.

            Really good news.

            Jesus was a carpenter.

            And carpenters know how to build.

Digging Deeper Into Doubt

Jesus compared the strength of your foundation to how you respond to hearing his words and putting them into practice. Consider these questions from The Benefit of Doubt Workbook to help you examine your foundation.

  • What seminal event, experience, conversation, or relationship comes to mind when you consider the basis for your Christian faith? What impact does this major contributor to your faith continue to exert in your life?
  • What cracks have you experienced in your faith foundation? Which one has probably troubled you the most or caused the most doubt about certain beliefs?
  • In what ways has God helped you see the incorrect beliefs and false assumptions you have held about him? How has he revealed what is actually true?

More From Craig

the benefit of doubt book and workbook

Bestselling author and pastor Craig Groeschel has walked through the valley of doubt himself, and in The Benefit of Doubt book and Workbook, he shows us how asking questions, seeking answers, and wrestling with doubt can actually draw us closer to God.

Doubt is a normal part of faith, but that doesn’t make it any less intimidating to navigate. So if you’re wrestling with doubts, keep walking, keep knocking, keep asking, and keep seeking.

Craig Groeschel

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, a multisite church with attenders at locations around the United States and globally at Life.Church Online. As one of the most respected leaders in the Church, Craig speaks frequently at leadership events and conferences worldwide. He is a New York Times best-selling author with books about topics like dating and marriage, social media, purpose, direction, church leadership, and more. He also hosts the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast as a practical tool to spark new ideas and prompt innovative thinking in leaders at every level within any organization.

21 January

The POWER of Scars

By Sarah Jakes Roberts

“The things we try to avoid and fight against—tribulation, suffering, and persecution—are the very things that produce abundant joy in us.” – Oswald Chambers

God did not call you to success without scars. God has called you to the sacred journey of trusting Him through failure and disappointment. Maybe you should stop asking yourself if you can change and still be great and instead begin asking yourself if you can stay the same and still experience God’s new mercy. The old voices of fear and shame that once haunted and taunted you will surrender to the knowledge you are being made whole. . . . You will be informing your doubt, worry, shame, and fear that their power has moved, and you’re determined to move with it.

Scars mean something. They usually indicate that something significant has happened in a person’s life. A tumble down the stairs. A bite from an animal. A cut on the skin. Every scar tells a story. Yet not all scars exist because of something negative. Some represent new life coming into the world, like the gift of sharing an organ with another person. Some represent a tragic event that was avoided, like the scars received by someone who saved another person’s life.

Jesus had scars. The scars that He received on the cross were for the purpose of saving lives. Paul wrote, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Every person on earth was destined for the tragic event of spiritual separation from God. But Jesus’ scars brought the hope of eternal life for all who receive His offer.

In the Gospels, we see that Jesus did not shy away from showing His scars. “Look at my hands and my feet,” He said to the disciples after the resurrection. “It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). The first thing that Jesus did when He saw His disciples was show them His scars! He would later also say to Thomas—the disciple who doubted He was alive—“Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (John 20:27).

Jesus received His scars “by becoming obedient to death” (Philippians 2:8). So it would be foolish for us to think we can make it through this life without at least some scrapes and bruises along the way. But the interesting thing about scars is that they are not a permanent fixture in the body. After the scar heals, the body goes through a “remodeling” process. The body rebuilds the scar so it becomes stronger and more like the surrounding tissue.

God will use the scars we receive in our obedience to Him to make us stronger. Slowly, over time, He will remodel us and strengthen us. He will use our scars to reveal to others that we understand what they are going through—for we were once there ourselves. He will use the situations we have gone through to prepare us for His service and fill the voids in other people’s lives. His power will change not only our own lives but also the lives around us. Power is never meant to stay locked up in us. It is to be used in the manner that God deems best.

God gave Adam and Eve the command to “fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28). This implies there was something empty that needed to be filled. We see a lot of emptiness in our world today. Souls that are empty. Bustling cities that are empty. Even full churches with leaders who are empty. The command remains for us to “fill the earth.” God doesn’t ask us to live as bystanders or ignore what we could be changing. Rather, He prepares us—sometimes through our scars—to be a powerful force for Him in this world.

Prayer

Father, help me to see how You have given me power that is to be used for Your glory. Nothing makes You happier than people coming to know You. Help me to have open hands and an open mind to how You may be asking me to make the most of my scars. Prepare me to point others to the fullness found only in You so that I can be the solution that You are calling me to be. Amen.

Sarah Jakes Roberts

Sarah Jakes Roberts is a New York Times Bestselling author, entrepreneur, speaker, mother, and wife. Sarah has been creating a disruption in the digital and faith-based space. She is on a philanthropic mission to help women evolve into the best version of themselves. In 2017, Sarah founded Woman Evolve Inc., a digital multimedia platform. Woman Evolve equips women with inspiration, resources, and tools that help them discover their purpose and revolutionize their life.

More From Sarah

Power Moves Study Guide: What the Bible Says About How You Can Reclaim and Redefine Your God-Given Power

In this study guide companion to her New York Times bestseller, Sarah Jakes Roberts unboxes what the Bible says about how followers of Jesus can reclaim and redefine their God-given power.

Tapping into unique power that God has given you isn’t arrogant or over-confident—it’s about claiming and embracing your authentic identity. It’s about experiencing God’s power through you. Start your study today.