Challenge is hard, but it’s necessary if life change is to occur. We walk around stuck in our ruts because either nobody has cared enough to challenge us to change or because we didn’t trust those who challenged us. With arms crossed and defense mechanisms on high alert, we dismiss the challenge. Unconvinced of the need to change or that the change being recommended is right, we say “NO.”
I love helping young people realize their true identity, but unless they’ve got a “yes” in their heart, I’m wasting my time.
For example, I may notice that one of the guys I’m coaching is a poor listener. Instead of acknowledging a question, he deflects it with sarcasm. Perhaps I detect fear of intimacy beneath the surface. And I discern that behind that may lay a fear of rejection. Unless we probe these issues, the young man may be perpetually stuck – unable to progress. He may go for years trapped in patterns of superficiality.
I may be wrong in what I perceive, but if I’m right, it’s crucial that the young man I’m coaching respond in the right way. He needs to respond with a “yes” in his spirit if he is to grow and move to another level.
That’s why I ask our leaders and coaches to probe the condition of their team members’ hearts. Are they ready to get over themselves? Are they prepared to face into the pain that changing will require? Have they pre-determined to respond to God with a “yes” in their spirit?
Life change only happens as the status quo is challenged, so it’s important that we think about our response to challenge in advance. That’s why I love AIM’s discipleship programs – we want to help young people grow. We work hard to help them face the areas where others have hurt them or let them down and the broken behavior that has resulted. They will never be effective ministers on our trips until they’ve dealt with their own junk. They can go and have a good time, but they need to experience healing before they can help heal.
Too many of us are cruising through life shut down to the pain in our lives. God wants to heal us up, but to do so, he needs to know we’ve got a “yes” in our spirit.
Great point, Seth… it can be hard to “get over ourselves”, and yet the only way to let God make us who He’d really have us to be :-)…
Seth, This is exactly what i needed to read. I seem to be more faithful to reading your blogs than i am my own Bible. I know that sounds horrible, it’s more of a discipline issue than a desire. Actually it’s more of a doubt i’ve had over the past 2 years. I’ve been in this terrible rut where i doubt God listens to my prayer (thus i would pray less), i doubt God will speak to me or show me the things that will help me through reading the Scriptures (thus i spend more time reading self help books and seeking out inspirational messages). I don’t feel i’ve ever truly been discipled. I teach it, and know what it should look like… i even know the roles of a disciple and discipler. Yet through experiences with several different leaders, they let me down in huge ways. Some would say, “They are simply human and will make mistakes.” But i have yet to see the discipleship that i read about in the Bible and believe God has layed on my heart. I’ve had more people give up on me or simply didn’t have the time. So i guess my question is, How do i look for a good discipler? One that knows what the True Church is and is devoting their life to serving the Lord regardless of the risks.
– Adam Sloan
Just found Shearman’s talk on this on iTunes the other day…it’s an easy principle to accept in theory, but tough to apply.
Thanksfriend.
I think “yes but only if…….” is a common response. Certainly has been in me! It’s fear more than any other thing that keeps the yes from being whole hearted at times. What will God do with my yes? What route could He take to get me where He knows it’s best for me to be? What pain do I need to walk through with Him to get where He wants to take me? At those moments, I head back to the “I want to want to” prayers and get on my knees, asking God to change my heart.
Better then to remember not to look at yourself and all the inadequacies and fears you carry. Better to look up and get a glimpse of the heart that’s wanting your yes, because that heart loves you more than life. It’s like the beavers say about Aslan in Narnia – “is He safe? No, He’s not safe! But He’s good.”
I find that good God works with the um, ah, um yeeees but oh help me just as much as the wholehearted uncompromising yes. Compassion mixed with determination to get me there, despite my wobbles and qualms. I’m glad about that.
If I cant say “yes” to something God asks of me that I have to ask myself this very simple question “have I REALLY laid down MY life (my will, my ideas, my understanding, my decisions, my thoughts, my time….etc etc) to follow Jesus? Without doing this I cannot be His disciple. It challenges me daily.
Adam: where do you live? Perhaps I could help. -Mark
Mark,
I live in Brandon, Florida just outside of Tampa.
HA! Maybe! right on. yeah, yes on the heart is something that we have been working on for a few months now.
Seth – God is answering all your prayers and your hard work. More people have just answered YES in their hearts, minds, souls, and strengths. More for the Kingdom and ever more in love with Jesus. Praise God!
Ahhhh Yes, what was the song we used to sing in church, Yes Lord Yes Lord Yes Yes Yes Lord. Yes Lord to whatever you have for me. As we lay our lives at the cross, we open ourselves up for healing, and for Holy Spirit to work in our lives. To chisel away at our desires, our stuff, and allow God to love on us. It can only be good, sometimes painful as the Lord shows us things in our heart that are not from Him but good as He replaces our junk with more of Him. Ahhh Yes Lord whatever you have for me today, I say Yes.
i need a “yes” in my spirit more often.
thank you seth!
i would like to learn more of how to abtain this yes spirit. I have been going through so much latley that i know something in me has to change. i have a very hard time trusting any one around me. Even the ones that are truelly trying to help. to me i like to say i am independent but really i think that i just say this only because i dont trust any one and i just dont want to depend on some one especially if i have to deal with some kind any kind of cayouse they may come up with. But really it boils down to pride witch really hinders me because i know there is a lot of things that i need to learn that pride really hinders me from.It is a hard place to be right now. i wish i could just tell you how much god has really been blessing me. Yet i cant just enjoy it because i am scared something bad is going to happen not only that i dont understand andy thing that is currently happening at this moment of my life. I was told i have self condemnation witch half the time i feel guilty for no reason and i cant figure out how to get over it.
I honestly believe god is working in my life with all this, yet i still would like to learn more. i know i am not perfect by no means but i dont want to be a hinderence to gods kingdom. i want to be able to serve him well.
I dont know but this seemed like a realy good web site i am interested to here from you all. sorry to take up so much space and have so much to say i pray it makes sence and that you may be able to guide me in some kind of good direction. i appreciate your time and efferts
stacy