Upsetting Your Belief System

By Michael Griego on November 11, 2016 • ( 0 )

The American presidential election has had a jarring effect on people across the nation and world. What may be upset is actually one’s belief system or program of belief. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. ♦

I read this week that a young Clinton campaign staffer angrily and publicly confronted a Clinton campaign leader with blame that her failure will bring about an early death and destruction of the world through the now presumed onslaught of global warming. The staffer was deadly serious.

Many active protesters this week believe that a new era of racism, misogyny, and homophobia will be ushered in by the new leader of the free world. While some dissenters may have tempered views, many people fully believe this.

Likewise, many people on the conservative side believed that the world would end, so to speak, if their side had not won and the country had to endure another 4 years of continued liberal policies and mindsets. Of course, many conservatives reluctantly voted yet still hold fear about what actually the new US leader will do.

Life marches on, even after hard-fought national elections. People may be bitterly disappointed that their side did not win, or have heartfelt and legitimate questions about how the nation will be governed going forward.

That’s all fair and understandable.

Because this reflects our own internal belief system, or what the great 20th century Biblical teacher, Oswald Chambers, calls our program of belief. Thoughts of anger, fear, angst, joy, relief, or frustration, reflect our personal point of view at times of high emotion. Our belief system kicks in, revealing how, in our own mind, the world and even God works or should work.

A case in point is the popular Biblical story about Jesus and a very disappointed and frustrated Martha.

Program of Belief
In the 11th chapter of the Book of John, we find the story of Lazarus and his 2 sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha had a particular belief system about her friend, Jesus Christ. She believed that He had the power to cure Lazarus, her ailing brother, and that had Jesus been present earlier, he could have healed him and kept him from dying. She also believed that Jesus had a peculiar intimacy with God and that whatever He asked of God, God would do.¹

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” (John 11:21-24)

Martha had her own set belief on how things work, even a perspective on how Jesus could/should work. Oswald Chambers points out that Jesus patiently leads her through a non sequitur about who He is. He questions her pointedly. Her own belief melts into a personal acceptance of His Lordship and broader perspective on who He is and what He’s doing:

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” (John 11:25-27)

Beyond the sadness of her brother’s death, she now has an intimacy with the Living Lord and a higher perspective on life.

Our Own Program of Belief
Think about it. We all have our own mental constructs of how the world works or should work. We each have our personal beliefs about:

The creation of the universe and world
The nature and character of God
Our role and purpose in life
The existence and purpose of Jesus
The validity and veracity of the Bible

Even beliefs on the short and long-term effects of an American presidential election.

What Jesus wants is for us to launch past these frets and worries and into a personal intimacy with Himself. “Do you believe [who I am]?” (John 11:26) is what His question is for all of us, regardless of our worldly circumstances.

When we come face-to-face with our doubts, fears, and human perspectives at moments of crisis, Jesus wants to transform us to a new level of relationship with Him. Like He did with both Martha and Mary.

A Godly Program of Belief
A Godly and right program of belief is one in which we’re fully committed with abandon and without compromise to Jesus Christ, even in light of all that’s going on around us. That is, morally and spiritually, we are devoted in our worldview perspective with full trust and reliance on the Lord alone.

That belief system, or program of belief, will trump all chaos, fear, confusion, and doubt around us and provide a true and comforting peace, even lasting joy. We will then be unfettered and free to boldly pray for our new leader, that under God’s authority and hand, he may lead a good nation forward.

How is your program of belief?

¹ My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers, (Dodd, Mead & Company, 1935), November 6, p. 311.
_________________________
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” – John 11:40