Subdue That Method-Driven Heart

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Now there is an idol that is subtly lurking in men’s hearts daily and in many ways, that is being method-driven. Every day when faced with problems or issues of different kinds, we will be quick to think up some worldly solutions or to get some advices. When that happens, it shows that the person is not willing to first look and correct his heart, but is mainly outcome oriented. I, myself, especially after being a parent can be very method-driven as well. You can see this flowing into every area of the world we are in. In our education system, KPIs at work, policies and many more systems in place to resolve or advance things. Now, of course, it is not to say that we should disregard methods or that they are not important. There are some that lies within some of these methods. However, we must know that worldly methods cannot solve all problems. Especially when issues start to get deeper and more complicated, even methods and policies cannot resolve it. That is why, when God allows stronger enemies to rise up around Israel, around His people, God wants them to know that instead of turning to their usual “methods”, they should really first look to the Lord. When we look at the unresolved problems around us, it is really not the lack of methods we have sought after and used, but the issue of our hearts. This is especially so for more personal things we have like family tensions, spousal differences, problems with children and such. It is not something that can be simple solved by the laws, regulations, policies or counselling. It is more complex than that. However, the arrogant world does not realise this and continues to turn to methods. That is why, even though we have a society that is getting more and more advanced and affluent, yet there are still many other issues that continue to rise like divorce rates, mental health problems. So brothers and sisters, we have to start seeing the world for what it is, and draw our hearts closer to the Lord instead.

Now let us read Psalm 81:10-14. “I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.“But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices. “If my people would only listen to me, if Israel would only follow my ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!”

The Lord is the One who delivers

Now from the verses, it is important for us to remember that it is the Lord who brought us “out of Egypt”, in other words, to be born again. He is the one who subdue all our “enemies”, our methods, our wits and might. It is true that the Lord has at times deliver us with some methods like getting some advice from our church leaders, or some resources rendered to us in times of need, but we have to bear in mind that it is after all the Lord who has loved, planned and sent those help our way. When we receive meaningful advice, it is the Lord who convicts the person with the wisdom to say it. When we are able to follow the advice and be strengthened, it is also the Lord who gives us strength to do so. Now, there are 2 sides that people will fall into when it comes to facing issues. One is, using their own ways and boasting about the success of their experiences. Or two, shrug off all things and merely say “I will overcome it by faith.” Firstly, let us never boast about ourselves but the Lord who have mercy on us. And secondly, the more our hearts turn to God in faith and guidance, the more we will be able to see His amazing help and gain convictions to have wisdom in the next step we take. All these will lead us to grow in humility and submission to God, yearning to follow God’s way and not seek our own devices.

Pitfalls for a heart of humility and submission

But first, let us understand what hinders us from being brought to a heart of humility and submission.

1. Firstly, it is when we do not like to read and meditate on God’s word. There are many times we would choose to spend time on doing other things than having quiet time with the Lord. Or we could be distracted by other thoughts and concerns while doing so. But we have to ask ourselves, how else can we have a heart of submission without knowing Him through His word? How else can we gain reassurance of His ways if we are not taught the principle of His word? Let us not merely become believers that learn God’s word by touch-and-go, and rely more on our sense and experiences when handling all things in life. It may work at times, our own methods, but it is not definite and every time. When we begin to trust our own “feels” and wits more, we will meet times of failure, disappointments or problems getting more and more complex. That is why, God wants us to humble ourselves down and point us back to His Word, to His heartbeat. So let us start reading and meditating on God’s word if we are not already doing so. If we continue to procrastinate and sit on it, we may become very shallow in our faith and when people come to us for advice, we will only be able to give worldly responses, steering them to trust more in human ways than to revere God.
2. Next, the second reason we cannot humble down or submit to God is because we may read the Word but not get the heart of Christ. Now, what is the heart of Christ, you may ask. It is meekness and humility. It is a heart that always listens to the Father. And for us believers, our heart should always be one that does not boast about our past successes, our knowledge, but about the Lord. As Paul has said in 2 Corinthians 12:10, instead of boasting about what he has seen or his experiences and strengths, he said, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Now there may be many who likes to boast about their past encounters or achievements. There are also some who seem to have a lot of head knowledge, even with bible scriptures and such. However, they may not be able to share about their weaknesses or they are only able to give “textbook” replies, or very “holy” but unrelatable responses to spiritual problems people have. But when it comes to talking about their own difficulties and asking for prayers, they cannot do so. Now then we know that this person may have a lot of head knowledge but not Christ’s heart.
   So brothers and sisters, it is important that we reflect deeper into these 2 spiritual problems that we are prone to have. Even for long time believers, we must not be caught spiritually offguard but introspect even more. When we have truly understood our spiritual pitfalls and work on it by going back to the Lord who delivers, it will be shown by the kind of strength, joy and wisdom in you.

The way the Lord loves and leads us today

Now, as we go back to Israel’s story in our first verse today from Psalm 81, why is it that Israel keeps failing, but the Lord continues to send prophets to them? This is to show us that it is purely because of God’s faithfulness, and not men’s merits. Now we all know that God is full of mercy and it is by His mercy that we can make it through trials after trials. But we must know that this abundant mercy is not for us to take for granted or become complacent. It is not for us to know but still freely go back to our own ways and methods. It means that we should always be prepared to trust in the ways God have for us, in other words, to have a fruitful church life, to be constantly drawn to God through His word and the faith community He has prepared for us. This is the way that God is showing us love and leading us to subdue our method-driven heart and life, into a humble and submissive spirit today. So when we come to our cell group, serve in ministries and such, we are no longer uplifting our achievements or seeing ourselves better than others, but knowing there are always things we can learn from the brethren beside us. We need to learn what is true humility by seeing what God is doing in the midst of gatherings, instead of assuming that you know everything. Sometimes, when the youths in my youth group share about some weaknesses they have, I reflect on how I am equally weak in certain similar ways as well and I turn to seek the Lord. So it is not about having all the answers, but that we trust in God’s word, cling onto it and have faith in His workings in the faith community He has put us in. So brothers and sisters, what are some of the methods we always trust that is apart from God? May we all identify the areas where we tend to be tempted into being method-driven, honestly look at areas we cannot be humble and submissive to the Lord about and go back to the way the Lord leads us today in His love, that is His word and His church.

God bless.