Comments on: A Lukewarm Attitude of Complacency http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/ reb•e•lu•tion (reb’el lu shen) n. a teenage rebellion against low expectations Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:46:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Laura McMillion http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-454353 Laura McMillion Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:35:36 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-454353 This post hits right at the heart of my spiritual struggles for the past several years, which I am just now beginning to make sense of. It is very easy to become complacent in a spiritual walk, to begin thinking, "I'm good enough," or to begin believing that the work of changing us all falls to God and that we simply don't need to strive for anything. Hand in hand with this, I've realized that the desire that a lot of us have not to "put God on a checklist" has led to a mentality that says if your spiritual life takes effort or is forced, it can't be real- that you shouldn't really have to try. It's difficult to look back on wasted years, to realize when I got comfortable and how it's been a slow, gradual slide downhill from there, or a gentle current pushing me inconspicuously away from God. Complacency is no small matter. The damage it can do to a Christian life is staggering. This post hits right at the heart of my spiritual struggles for the past several years, which I am just now beginning to make sense of. It is very easy to become complacent in a spiritual walk, to begin thinking, “I’m good enough,” or to begin believing that the work of changing us all falls to God and that we simply don’t need to strive for anything. Hand in hand with this, I’ve realized that the desire that a lot of us have not to “put God on a checklist” has led to a mentality that says if your spiritual life takes effort or is forced, it can’t be real- that you shouldn’t really have to try.

It’s difficult to look back on wasted years, to realize when I got comfortable and how it’s been a slow, gradual slide downhill from there, or a gentle current pushing me inconspicuously away from God. Complacency is no small matter. The damage it can do to a Christian life is staggering.

]]> By: Charles http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-453917 Charles Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:48:00 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-453917 Thank you guys so much for writing these, it brings out things in my life that I don't really realize until someone brings them up. Which you guys are good about bringing things to my attention that need to be taken care of! Thank you guys so much!! Charles Thank you guys so much for writing these, it brings out things in my life that I don’t really realize until someone brings them up. Which you guys are good about bringing things to my attention that need to be taken care of! Thank you guys so much!!
Charles

]]> By: Morgan http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-444366 Morgan Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:00:21 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-444366 the second to last line is suppose to say: *as much and more than me the second to last line is suppose to say:
*as much and more than me

]]> By: Morgan http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-444364 Morgan Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:58:44 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-444364 This is an excellent post! Why do you think it’s easier to just avoid evil than to pursue righteousness? Although sometimes it's very hard to avoid evil (especially if it is something you're struggling with), I think it is harder to pursue righteousness. Pursing righteousness takes listening to God, reading your Bible, praying, and most importantly following through with what He tells you to do. It takes effort on your part. (which is a good thing, because you will grow) I am 15 and I read the Do Hard Things book about a year ago and came to your conference near Charlotte. It has greatly impacted my life! Just last week I began leading a book study on Do Hard Things with the middle school girls at my church and I have been using the study guide that you posted on the site. I'm praying that it will impact them as much and more as me. Thank you guys for following God's plan for your life!! This is an excellent post!
Why do you think it’s easier to just avoid evil than to pursue righteousness?
Although sometimes it’s very hard to avoid evil (especially if it is something you’re struggling with), I think it is harder to pursue righteousness. Pursing righteousness takes listening to God, reading your Bible, praying, and most importantly following through with what He tells you to do. It takes effort on your part. (which is a good thing, because you will grow)

I am 15 and I read the Do Hard Things book about a year ago and came to your conference near Charlotte. It has greatly impacted my life! Just last week I began leading a book study on Do Hard Things with the middle school girls at my church and I have been using the study guide that you posted on the site. I’m praying that it will impact them as much and more as me. Thank you guys for following God’s plan for your life!!

]]> By: Lydia D. http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-443960 Lydia D. Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:33:59 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-443960 I wish I had enough time to answer all the questions! Unfortunately, I do not so I will just answer Katie's Bonus Question. What is the difference between contentment and complacency? I believe that these are similar in the fact that both of these have the attitude that everything is fine with their life. The difference is that contentment is still striving to get better, while complacency does not want to bother to improve. I wish I had enough time to answer all the questions! Unfortunately, I do not so I will just answer Katie’s Bonus Question.

What is the difference between contentment and complacency?

I believe that these are similar in the fact that both of these have the attitude that everything is fine with their life. The difference is that contentment is still striving to get better, while complacency does not want to bother to improve.

]]> By: Joshua Letchford http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-443385 Joshua Letchford Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:32:26 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-443385 I suppose that avoiding complacency is all part of having an active walk with God- asking Him to show us when we stand in danger of falling into complacency, and relying on God to help us to keep a "delight... in the law of the Lord". I think the difference between complacency and contentment is that contentment is being happy that things are in God's hands, and complacency is resting on your own laurels. Thinking that you've done enough serving God. God created us to love and serve Him, and if we love Him, we will never want to stop serving Him, because serving Him is an act of love. The opposite of this is complacency; being satisfied with serving God only half-heartedly. I suppose that avoiding complacency is all part of having an active walk with God- asking Him to show us when we stand in danger of falling into complacency, and relying on God to help us to keep a “delight… in the law of the Lord”.

I think the difference between complacency and contentment is that contentment is being happy that things are in God’s hands, and complacency is resting on your own laurels. Thinking that you’ve done enough serving God. God created us to love and serve Him, and if we love Him, we will never want to stop serving Him, because serving Him is an act of love. The opposite of this is complacency; being satisfied with serving God only half-heartedly.

]]> By: Kyndra http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-442058 Kyndra Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:49:43 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-442058 Wow. Very convicting post. I think that it can certainly be easy to fall into the trap of complacency, especially when our lives are already busy. It's easy to just fall into the "rut" of daily living and to be content with that rather than wanting more of God, more of His righteousness in our lives. This is an especially difficult challenge for me since, in my life, I tend to swing between the extremes of desiring perfection and attempting to do everything (an extreme which leaves me quickly burnt out and exhausted) and falling into a pattern of complacency where I am simply "floating" through life, allowing it to take me where it will. I am also struggling with the righteousness vs. not sinning issue and with being known by what I don't do rather than what I do. What exactly does it look like to be known for your righteousness, for what you do, rather than for your lack of sin and what you don't do? These are certainly things to ponder. Thank you for the challenging, though provoking post! Wow. Very convicting post.
I think that it can certainly be easy to fall into the trap of complacency, especially when our lives are already busy. It’s easy to just fall into the “rut” of daily living and to be content with that rather than wanting more of God, more of His righteousness in our lives. This is an especially difficult challenge for me since, in my life, I tend to swing between the extremes of desiring perfection and attempting to do everything (an extreme which leaves me quickly burnt out and exhausted) and falling into a pattern of complacency where I am simply “floating” through life, allowing it to take me where it will.

I am also struggling with the righteousness vs. not sinning issue and with being known by what I don’t do rather than what I do. What exactly does it look like to be known for your righteousness, for what you do, rather than for your lack of sin and what you don’t do? These are certainly things to ponder.

Thank you for the challenging, though provoking post!

]]> By: Chelsea http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-436969 Chelsea Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:16:14 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-436969 Discussion Question 2 is very convicting for me. Just this week I've been struggling with this. I am involved in a youth theatre group in my area and I've made a few Christian and several non-Christian friends there. One of their favorite things to talk about before rehearsal is the latest gossip from anyone who will talk. I have never participated in the gossip, I usually move to another seat when they start gossipping. One of my {non-Christian} friends told me the other day that he respects the fact that I've never gossiped with them. He told another {Christian} friend that he should either gossip, like most of the kids, or never gossip, like me and my sister, but not to ride the fence on it. It reminded me of the Scripture in Revelation about God wanting to spit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. While I was encouraged that my theatre friends respect me and don't ridicule me for not gossipping, I was also convicted by his statement. My friends, whether they speak to me or not, are watching and noticing what I do. It's well known in our group that I'm a Christian, my dad's a pastor, and I don't do a lot of things the other people do. It was kind of scary to realize that they all watch what I do. That being said, I am more known at my theatre group for what I don't do rather than what I do. I don't do what everyone else is doing, but I do I pursue righteousness?? I'm still thinking abou the answer to that one. Thank you, Alex and Brett, so much for this series that does not cease to convict. Keep up the good work!! :) Discussion Question 2 is very convicting for me. Just this week I’ve been struggling with this. I am involved in a youth theatre group in my area and I’ve made a few Christian and several non-Christian friends there. One of their favorite things to talk about before rehearsal is the latest gossip from anyone who will talk. I have never participated in the gossip, I usually move to another seat when they start gossipping. One of my {non-Christian} friends told me the other day that he respects the fact that I’ve never gossiped with them. He told another {Christian} friend that he should either gossip, like most of the kids, or never gossip, like me and my sister, but not to ride the fence on it. It reminded me of the Scripture in Revelation about God wanting to spit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. While I was encouraged that my theatre friends respect me and don’t ridicule me for not gossipping, I was also convicted by his statement. My friends, whether they speak to me or not, are watching and noticing what I do. It’s well known in our group that I’m a Christian, my dad’s a pastor, and I don’t do a lot of things the other people do. It was kind of scary to realize that they all watch what I do. That being said, I am more known at my theatre group for what I don’t do rather than what I do. I don’t do what everyone else is doing, but I do I pursue righteousness?? I’m still thinking abou the answer to that one. Thank you, Alex and Brett, so much for this series that does not cease to convict. Keep up the good work!! :)

]]> By: Kate D. http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-436085 Kate D. Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:22:08 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-436085 I really like this post! It is applicable and very convicting to me. What really stood out to me is the part that says: "For Christians this often reveals itself when we become satisfied avoiding evil, but not pursuing good." Too often I can become complacent with just "avoiding evil" instead of "pursuing good." I need to pray about "pursuing good" with all my heart, instead of just being satisfied with "not doing bad things." Thanks so much for this post! I really like this post! It is applicable and very convicting to me. What really stood out to me is the part that says: “For Christians this often reveals itself when we become satisfied avoiding evil, but not pursuing good.” Too often I can become complacent with just “avoiding evil” instead of “pursuing good.” I need to pray about “pursuing good” with all my heart, instead of just being satisfied with “not doing bad things.” Thanks so much for this post!

]]> By: Sarah Beth http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-433139 Sarah Beth Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:01:43 +0000 http://www.therebelution.com/blog/2009/02/a-lukewarm-attitude-of-complacency/#comment-433139 Sorry, I am totally messing this up. What I meant to say was that to avoid evil we don't always have to completely change our lifestyle. Pursueing righteousness is a lifestyle. Sorry, I am totally messing this up. What I meant to say was that to avoid evil we don’t always have to completely change our lifestyle. Pursueing righteousness is a lifestyle.

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