As It Turned Out

Why do we try to defend our beliefs when it comes to something like celebrating Easter?  I’m here to free you in that you don’t have to defend anything, your beliefs don’t require a defense.  

There’s no need to argue, share only what matters.
I recall President George W. Bush commenting on his faith saying something to the affect that, “God changed my heart and that’s all I’m going to say.”

“The argument doesn’t matter when you have an experience.” – Chris Hodges

When you’ve experienced Jesus, the arguments go away.  There’s no longer a need to argue. You have something better, the experience.  

Normal people question religious rules and churches.  One of the biggest arguments I’ve heard has been over giving money to the church.  They question why you give to a preacher who lives a prosperous lifestyle or why do you give to a church that already has enough.  

My takeaway is to no longer argue for 2 reasons:
1. I alone can’t change what someone else believes and
2. my experience with Him (or giving) is all I need.  

It’s not my job to win the arguments others may have, but rather give them my reason (share my experience) as to why I believe the way that I do.  And like George W. Bush, that’s all I’m going to say.

“…And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”  ^[1]

Always be ready to give your explanation, not a rebuttal to their arguments.  Give your experience, not some sermon you heard someone preach. To be uncommon is not defending against arguments, but rather sharing your story, your experience with Jesus Christ. That is all you need and that’s all you need to say.

It’s the worst things that happen that benefit us the most.
Since you believe, then believing must have some benefits.

“Easter is death working backwards.” – C.S. Lewis

I’m not positive what C.S. Lewis meant when he quoted this, but what I do know is that Jesus died so that we could live.  Using what comes last (death), He, working backward, gave us the ability to live. It’s through His death that we have been granted a life that everyone, the majority, doesn’t get to have.  It’s called eternal life.

What would be a tragedy is if no one took advantage of what Christ’s death has to offer.  

You might be going through the worst times of your life.  I know, I’ve had some pretty bad events happen in my life; that’s life isn’t it?  When life happens and it does to everyone, then we must learn to deal with it, unlike others, to be uncommon.  If life happens to everyone, that means we have two choices: 1) deal with it like everyone else or 2) don’t deal with it like everyone else.  I choose the latter.

“…It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. 
We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. 
As it turned out, 
it was the best thing that could have happened. 
Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, 
we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead!”  ^[2]  

“As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened.”
Although things might be at its worse, you need an “As it turned out…” moment.  “As it turned out…” means it’s going to pass. As it turns out…
What’s happening on your job,
What’s happening in your marriage,
What’s happening in the family,
What’s happening in your school,
What’s happening in your city,
Is going to pass!

The key here or major difference is normal people trust in their own wits and strengths to get out of it, but you, who are uncommon, trust in The One who is unlike anyone else.  You’re trusting in The One whose thoughts aren’t ordinary and whose ways are not normal. Trust me in this, He raises the dead and your circumstances aren’t so bad that He can’t handle it.  It’s Easter; no need to argue about it and the benefits it’s brought you.

[1] 1 Peter 3:15 NLT, Bible.com, accessed April 21, 2019, https://www.bible.com/bible/116/1pe.3.15.nlt 
[2] 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 MSG, Bible.com, accessed April 21, 2019, https://www.bible.com/bible/97/2co.1.8-11.msg

All Scripture references used by permission, see our Scripture copyrights.

This web-post was inspired by the message “Believe Again” by Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands.