Complacent Christian

For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; Proverbs 1:32
 
    Complacency (noun): feeling of calm satisfaction with your own abilities or situation that prevents you from trying harder.
Christian complacency can be described as being satisfied with your current personal effort in pursuing Jesus.
 
    Years ago, when I became a Christian, I was so excited to live my life for Christ. I wanted to learn more about Him, the Bible, and what it meant to be a Christian. I knew I was never going to stray. (haha) When I first repented of my sins, I felt a sense of cleansing and newness. I wanted to hang on to that feeling forever.
 
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, Acts 3:19
 
    I reached the point of recognizing God’s goodness, seeing miracles, and influencing others in their Christian faith. Then I got stuck there. It’s easy to focus on those victories, instead of striving towards the next victory, and pursuing God. This was the beginning of complacency.
 
    Many new Christians don’t receive guidance beyond baptism. I’ve seen many people become Christians, get baptized, then what? Our salvation is important, but that’s not ALL that God has for us. He wants us to grow closer to Him, fellowship with Him, talk to Him, … have a relationship with Him. He has also called us to do and be much more. Christians who disciple.
 
Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
 
    I am a Christian because an ordinary Christian became a disciple, followed God’s guidance, and shared the Good News with me. And others since, have continued to encourage and minister to me.
 
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. Thessalonians 5:11
 
    If our dedication of prayer, study, fellowship and intentional living for Him isn’t continued, we develop a lack of ambition and lose our focus. The ‘new’ wears off. We get busy with other things. Eventually, we don’t see a need to strive for more in our Christian lives. We begin to believe that our one hour a week, sitting through worship, is enough. Then we justify missing a Sunday here and there, justifying that we can still be Christians without going to Church. We may even begin to doubt who God really is. Next thing we know, we are just living our lives as ‘good people’, instead of intentionally for Christ. Hence, Christian complacency.
 
    This lack of ambition gets us nowhere, and Satan loves that. Proverbs 11:32 says that we will be destroyed by our complacency. The less ambition and determination we have to follow Christ and do our part in the Kingdom of God, the more our churches suffer. Churches don’t grow If the people within them don’t grow. Complacent people = Complacent churches. Many churches now days are just surviving. God does not want His people and His churches to “survive.” He wants them to thrive.
 
So what can you do to avoid Christian complacency?
  • Be sure you have truly let Jesus into your life.
  • Pray intentionally (personal quiet time in prayer)
  • Pray consistently (be aware that God is always with you)
  • Be thankful and forgiving. (Un-thankfulness and unforgiveness can be spiritual roadblocks)
  • Read and study God’s Word (Not only on your own, but also in a group. We learn from others)
  • Build relationships with friends and family who openly share their faith. (encourage each other)
  • Take an inventory of your life, observing your faith, priorities, desires and distractions. Idols (material things, money, people, work, success), personal characteristics (perfectionism, pride, greed, unforgiveness, procrastination, negativity), can all take our focus away from God, resulting in complacency.
  • Begin utilizing your Spiritual Gift(s) (each of us are equipped with God given gifts for the work of ministry)
  • Continue going to Church each Sunday (you never know who you may witness to, just by your presence)
 
That list looks like a lot, but it is not overwhelming when you let God lead.