Following Rules is Hard Work, but Life is Lived Spontaneously

First as a player and then as a coach I learned that you can focus on rules during practice and chalk talks but when the game begins you have to just play.  That’s because when your mind is focused on what you’re supposed to do your muscles slow down and tighten.  In response to the tight muscles your mind becomes anxious and you make mistakes because you are always at least one step behind.  As the mistakes increase you try harder causing your muscles to tighten more which creates increased anxiety.  The vicious cycle begins and you spiral downward into despair ultimately being removed from the game and relegated to the bench.

Christians everywhere are sitting on the bench or have given up altogether because they have forgotten or were never taught one thing – the Christian life is meant to be lived spontaneously.  In the Bible we are told that every believer has been chosen by God, called by God, justified by God, and glorified by God. (Ro. 8:30)  Every believer has also been adopted as a son of God, has been made a new creation and is filled with the Holy Spirit.  (Ro. 8:15, 2 Cor 5:17, Ro. 8:9)  Anyone who has the Spirit is being transformed from the inside out, is bearing fruit and is accomplishing good works which God has prepared in advance for them. (Ro. 8:11, Col. 1:10, Eph. 2:10)  And the fruit of the Spirit within is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.  (Gal. 5:22)

When I was coaching, the first order of business was to choose my team.  Once I decided on my roster, I called each player I had chosen to a meeting.  At that meeting and with each successive meeting, encounter, practice or game I revealed myself to my players, I placed my affection upon each player and I adopted them as my sons or daughters.  I instructed them in love, provided for them, disciplined them, hugged them, but most importantly I loved them.  Once a player received and trusted my unconditional love for them, they were transformed from the inside out by the power of my love.  Instruction became discipline and discipline became desire.  They no longer heard my words as law but instead they heard my words as love.  Fear of punishment was replaced by the confidence of sonship.  Words that had been heard as chastisement were now recognized as encouragement.  Instead of focusing on what to do they learned to play in the freedom of sonship contained by the desire to please.

The Christian life is meant to be lived in the same way.  God has chosen us, made us holy and pleasing in His sight, adopted us, and is transforming us by the power of His Holy Spirit.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God.  (Ro. 8:38-39) All who are called children of God are led by the Spirit. (Ro. 8:14)  Fear of punishment has been replaced by the confidence of sonship.  Since we are led by the Spirit our only charge is to keep in step with the Spirit.

In Galatians 5:25 when it says “If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit” the word translated “in step” means to follow the cadence in a military procession.  In order to follow a cadence you must be listening to the one setting the pace.  Listening attentively is the meaning of the word translated as obedience in most of the New Testament, so to obey the Spirit is to listen for the cadence of the Spirit within.  If you are listening to the flesh and trying to follow rules you will not be able to hear the cadence of the Spirit.  Your muscles will tighten and you will not be able to stay in step with the Spirit.  You will get worse not better and you will run the risk of being ineffective and even benched.

“For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”” (Ro. 8:15)  Live like it.  Play the game in the freedom of sonship with humble confidence, desiring to please God by trusting in His transforming power in your life. He who began a good work in you will complete it (Phil. 1:6) – He promised!