Do you do this? I know I do. I live pretty remote: we attend a church an hour away from our home; we shop and hour away from home; most friends and family live a good distance away from us. Suffice it to say, I spend a lot of time running around in my own head. (It's very tiring....so I nap a lot) I told my husband the other day that since my mother passed away (yes, she called almost every day to talk about whatever), I have noticed that I have a lot of whole conversations in my head. I even argue with myself. I will spend an entire drive to pick up my kids from school, arguing over something that is bothering me. I will state my case and then think of all the reasons why or why not I should feel the way I do about said subject.
And I have noticed during times I sit and mull over things with myself that I do a major amount of rationalizing. I want what I am doing to make sense. I don't want to make a false move, So I sit and work over in my head whether this or that is the right thing to do.
As a Christian this can be good in a way...you know, in a "think before you act or speak" sort of way. But I have also noticed this can be harmful too. Because no matter how much I reason in my head...I am still human and the flesh is very good at winning the "does this even sound rational" arguments. Not everything in the Christian life is supposed to be reasonable....not everything is supposed to be justified. Christ calls us to do pretty irrational things (humanly speaking). I am sure Jim Eliot could have rationalized his way out of going to a cannibalistic tribe...or Corrie Ten Boom from hiding Jews...or Pastor Saeed Abedini from preaching in Iran.
Lets just say you are throwing something around in your head...your rationalizing...it could be anything really...
I can guarantee that you have said one of these:
People are going to question my motives.
My friends are going to disagree with me. What if I lose my friends because of this?
This is going to really chip into my savings. It doesn't make sense to not have a financial safety net.
What about my children? How will this effect their future?
I can't do this. I am really not qualified. --there are people out there who would be way better than me at this.
I'm just not comfortable stepping out on a limb like this.
I am not a leader.
I can't just leave a good job.
But my family and friends are here.
There are many more...trust me I have tried them all on for size. But I can tell you this... a rational life is not what Christ intended for His children. Paul certainly seemed to have had this figured out. He knew that a rational life was not a Christian life...it was the opposite really. He was not writing just from his own personal opinion either...His words were Christ's words. His words often sound a bit irrational...
"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed every day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond comparison, as we look not on things which are seen but t things which are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal" 2 Cor. 4:16-18
"But he said to me,"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness," Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weakness, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content in weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor. 12:9-10
"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." Gal 2: 20
"Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ....do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only on his own interests, but also on the interests of others." Phil. 1: 27-2:4
Don't trade a rational life for an eternal one.
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