Worldview Breakdown

I was listening to a sermon of John Weaver’s in a car ride the other day and was reminded of a simple truth that I had heard him teach before.  He was talking about how important it is to have a Christian worldview. He pointed out that when people talk about having a nervous breakdown it’s not their nerves that have broken down. Their nerves are working just fine. What has broken down is their worldview. Something they believed was going to happen or should be happening – didn’t or wasn’t and they react.

Sometimes it seems like I talk to women and what I hear of their worldview is some rendition of the following: 

            “I should feel no pain.”  

            “Everyone will be willing to participate in and support the ministries I love.”  

            “People will pray for me when I am sick or having a problem –even if I don’t ask.”  

            “When I am in sin the church should not offend me by telling me what’s right.”  

            “My children will be sinless.”

            “I know best where I should live, what church I should attend, what makes me happy, etc. I don’t need God’s direction.”  

No one actually says these things but if you listen closely it’s what they believe, perhaps without even being aware of it.

People often respond to the world as if we had created it and understood exactly what the next step should be without ever seeking God’s direction. We respond to other people as though we have totally forgotten that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  There is no one living who does not have the potential to hurt us badly – why are we surprised when someone does? Shouldn’t we be more surprised by how often God’s grace protects us from such behaviors?

There are certain things that happen in this world that we may need to adjust to. Our husbands get transferred and we have to move away from those we know and love. People die.  People cheat. Companies go out of business and jobs are lost. What we believe about God and about life will determine how we respond to these tough realities of life.

Seeking God’s direction about how to respond is the only way to get past these difficult times and live with the peace and joy that the Christian is promised. If we fail to follow God’s plan peace and joy may be far from us.

I think that it’s very interesting that the Bible leaves us with great instruction but also the need for discernment in handling some of these things.  Mark 11:25 says, “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”  I love this verse.  They are the words of Jesus. While you’re praying just forgive the person you’re holding something against.  It doesn’t say you have to go to them and make a big deal about a slight, while you’re praying forgive them.  And why? – so your Father can also forgive you.

But, that isn’t the only instruction about forgiveness in the Bible. Matthew 18 is the chapter that tells us to go to the person and point out their sin and if they repent you have gained a friend. If not, bring a witness. If they still refuse to acknowledge the sin take them to the church. Most people and churches would rather ignore these verses. It is hard to go to someone and tell them their sin. Usually, they already know it’s sin but we may need to point it out so they can be reconciled to God. If they ultimately refuse, we may have to treat them as an unbeliever. It sounds harsh but God does everything for our good.  When our worldview says that’s true – we do it because everyone will benefit from God’s way.

This is often when the worldview becomes most obvious. Most Christians think there’s some reason why their circumstances are different. “God would understand” why they aren’t doing what He says because their circumstances make the Word of God null and void. It’s different for them.

Here’s the truth.  God does understand. He knows the heart. He sees motives. When a Christian is not living up to the standard set for us in the scripture there is a worldview problem – it is also a sin problem. These sins are often based in our pride that we are somehow different, our circumstances unique, and our hearts pure.

Perfectly pure hearts do not exist in the human being.  The only way to see the heart is to study the scriptures and see what God says about it. He is the only One who sees our hearts – and every set of circumstances we live in – clearly. Our direction for handling them needs to come from Him. We must have His Holy Spirit in order to discern the Truths of the Bible.  Do we have a worldview that pleases God?  The better we know the Word of God – the more it will shape our thinking – our worldview.

So, when we feel on the verge of a “nervous” breakdown (or hopefully before it gets that bad) we must stop and seek the direction and teaching of the Lord, asking Him to show us what it is that we believe that is not true.  He is a great God, a powerful Lord, and a He has given us a Wise Counselor. There is no problem that He cannot handle, no power He can’t overcome, and no disappointment from people that He has not experienced and can sympathize with.

Do you and I believe this statement:  “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble?” (Psalm 46:1) This is just one of the many truths in the scripture that should be shaping our worldview.