What happens when we just settle in our place and not move forward in conviction?
Complacency. It means a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one’s achievements. We become smug, and seemingly uncaring.
But we do care.
Our faith is becoming attacked more and more with each passing day in our society and around the world. Churches that have been “allowed” to come out of their underground service have to crawl back in for their own safety. We have to guard our children from our own street corner outreach for fear of backlash in our free society. Social media is a bust because people don’t know how to discuss any topics in a logical manner but only know how to throw ad hominem spears out of spite or ignorance. People want our faith to shrink, become silent, and taken under ground in our own homes because they cannot see hope or freedom in it, only despotism through their blindness.
A lot of us will chose to just settle out. We stop sharing scripture on social media or speak up at an unjust post. We stop going to rallies or marches because someone said it’s no place for children to speak up about the atrocities of this society. Our sandwich boards are used as kindling and our Bibles become hidden on our phones. No more bumper stickers because our cars can’t endure any more scratches and no more Easter invites for our neighbors in order to keep the peace. We settle for privacy and closed doors… in the land of liberty, of freedom, all for the sake of complacency.
James 1:12 ESV
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Christian, stop standing in the shadows. Live your faith. Don’t be afraid because the Lord is always with you. We are not called to hide but to shine.
Daniel 3:16-18 NIV
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
May this be our testimony of faith. Strive for fearlessness in faith while applying discernment and truth. Stand against the idols, false gospels, godlessness, and adversity. Pray through oppression and for the persecuted. Live your faith to the fullest and don’t settle for anything less.
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Suggested reading from or about Christians who stood out for their faith in the face of adversity. Click on the photo for more information.
It’s easy for complacency to sneak up on us when we’re not looking. May God help us remain vigilant. Thanks for sharing. Many blessings to you!
Complacency has no place in the life of a true Christian. I read Tortured for Christ. Bery challenging!
You are so right about complacency. It’s so easy to get into my little religious routine and forget that my faith is meant to be alive! I love what you said, “Live your faith to the fullest and don’t settle for anything less.” Amen!
I remember hearing a pastor speak passionately one time about how it all comes down to whether we are afraid of death. Once we conquer that one fear and quit being concerned for our own safety as a Christian, then we become fearless for Christ. Complacency is then out the window. I never forgot his sermon. Powerful! Beautiful post MaryAnn … ❤
Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful post! My husband always says that complacency is the death of a Christian. “Live your faith to the fullest and don’t settle for anything less.” Amen!
Its about living our lives in such a way in Christ that we shine bright amidst the darkness of this world so that others are attracted to that light to follow Jesus.
No matter what the institution of the church or church speakers are doing.
In other words follow what God is calling us to do in whatever situation that is in our lives & the Holy Spirit will do His work in the lives of those that are impacted by our witness. 😀 Don’t you think…
Blessings,
Jennifer
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are some of the most inspiring men in all of Scripture. Oh to have faith like them. I think complacency is easier though. It’s like our default setting. If we want incredible faith we have to reach for it. To strive for it as you said.
Missionary biographies are so stirring and they have a way of sifting our priorities as privileged, 21st century believers who know nothing of persecution, sacrifice, or deprivation. Thanks for this challenging post.
Excellent, bold post.
It is tricky ground, for sure. And I agree that there is a lot more we can be doing. But I also think that the way we do things may look different than it used to.
I think that it’s important as Christians to make sure first and foremost that our relationship with God is our number-one priority. It’s too easy to get sucked into a church’s agenda (which may or may not be from God–churches, leaders, and parishioners are fallible). The Christian church as a whole has gotten a horrible (and deserved) reputation by spending more time and effort trying to remove the sliver in someone else’s eye than taking care of the plank in their own. Jesus wants us to be know by our LOVE, not our misguided belief that we are the judge of other people’s behavior <– and this is what has gotten churches into the weeds. God didn't make us the hall monitors of the world. He made us his hands and feet to love, serve, and embrace.
There’s a song by Bethel that has a lyric that says something like ‘If you walked out of the grave, I’m walking too.’ This is exactly how I feel, and your post calls us to the same thing…. Jesus was never complacent in the face of opposition, so if he wasn’t, I‘m not too. This should be our backbone, this firm steadfastness to only do what we see our father doing, and I love that your post calls us to that. Bless you my friend for sharing xx
Thank you for this strong challenge and the reminder that we can be courageous because God is with us. Visiting from FMF.
My prayer lately has been for protection from complacency because I know it’s easy for me to fall into. I will also add, this is such an important message for the church as well! I love how you tied in the verses of Daniel in here- very appropriate!
I’m tired of retreating silence,
and don’t care now if I offend;
some may call it verbal violence
but I will neither break nor bend.
In the end you’ve got to stand
for something in the darkest night,
and in this bemused shadowland,
someone’s got to bring the light.
It’s we who must then be defined
be echoes of the Men of Old,
and if by hatred we’re refined,
like theirs, our stories will be told
around the campfire of survival
while the world awaits a new revival.