Being a Christian today is both tough and scary. Many of the messages we hear are self-help, motivational, or prosperity-driven. While these aren’t inherently bad, they often provide only temporary relief. In a world filled with anxiety, depression, stress, and fear, such messages make us feel hopeful and encourage us to push through our circumstances. But herein lies the problem: they address the symptoms rather than the root issues.
And what might those root issues be? Discontentment, disobedience, and idolatry.
Whew! Let’s take a deep breath. I know that’s a lot to drop on you, but truth carries weight. You good? Shall we keep going?
The Word Speaks Truth
2 Timothy 3:1-5 reminds us:
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”
Isn’t this what we see every day? And it’s so easy to get caught up in it. This “appearance of godliness” subtly entangles us. It feels good to hear sermons about God blessing us, crushing our enemies, and always having our back. But we often ignore the full context of Scripture.
Take Jeremiah 29:11, for example. It’s famously quoted:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
But how often do we read the next verses?
“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13)
We focus so much on the promises and overlook the instructions before or after them. Anxiety and stress creep in because we obsess over the promises and then try to achieve them in our own strength. But that’s not our role. Our role is obedience and faith.
Promises Come With Instructions
Wherever there’s a promise, there’s also direction.
Take another popular verse: “Faith without works is dead.”
Let’s break this down. Faith means believing what God says will happen. The “works” refer to obeying His instructions. Unfortunately, many of us misinterpret this. We think the “works” means manifesting the promise through our own willpower. Be honest—how many times have you been stressed out, in tears, trying to do “all the things,” only for it to fall apart?
The truth is, our job is not to be God but to let God work His plan in our lives.
Going Deeper Than Self-Help
So, how do we move past sermons that only focus on self-help, motivation, or prosperity?
OPEN THE BOOK, BELOVED!
The Word of God is our guide. Yes, it motivates and offers promises of prosperity. But it’s also full of instruction.
Consider Joshua 1:8:
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
Now, let’s pause here. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. While this verse comes from the Old Testament, we’re not talking about keeping all 600+ laws. Through Christ, we are redeemed and complete. Amen? Amen!
For those in Christ, the doing means obedience. It means following His example and instructions.
So, beloved, let’s shift our focus. Let’s stop chasing temporary relief and start living in faithful obedience. The promises are real, but they’re unlocked when we walk in His way.