Passive Defiance toward God's Story

 

We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 ESV).

 

Most of us don’t deliberately defy God very often. But that doesn’t mean we always accept his story line for our lives. Instead, we simply find subtle ways to resist God’s working in our lives. For instance, one thing we try is to give God the silent treatment. Some people are masters at giving others the silent treatment. The silent treatment is a form of non-communication where one person intentionally refuses to engage with another, either by not speaking or not acknowledging their presence. It can be a passive-aggressive tactic used to express displeasure, disapproval, or contempt. While it can feel temporarily satisfying to the person giving it, the silent treatment can have damaging long-term consequences on relationships.

 

When a conflict comes up in their family or workplace, they simply stop communicating. They withdraw and become silent, hoping that their furious silence will convince people to see things their way. They can communicate something very clearly without saying a word. This is true spiritually as well. We turn away in silence, thinking that our silence will somehow convince Him to keep his distance. We stop praying or serving, and whenever possible we find excuses to avoid Bible study or worship. And if we find we must engage in any of those activities, we make clear that we’re simply going through the motions. Of course, it’s silly to try to keep secrets from a God who knows everything, but that doesn’t mean we don’t try it.

 

The good news is that God is never silent to us. While it may be difficult to understand God’s message, He is never absent from us. No winder the Apostle Paul tells us in our reading today to “pray without ceasing.” Don’t withdraw, lean in closer to the only One who has the power to write your story for great good!