If you are a Christian, America is probably one of the best countries you can live in. The right to worship is guaranteed in our First Amendment, Christians are free to create their own art or pop culture, and we can defend our faith in the public square. Still, all these freedoms come with their own set of problems. American culture has created a number of false ideals that many Christians accept as gospel. In reality, these lies just drive a wedge between us and a true relationship with Christ.
Blogger Frank Powell recently submitted an article to Relevant Magazine, where he highlighted five lies American culture teaches Christians to believe. Powell took particular interest in the idea that God creates only one road for his disciples,
3. There is Only One Road You Can Take.
“God has a plan for your life. But this idea that there is only one road in life is false. It is nowhere in Scripture. It is everywhere in culture.”
“I have witnessed this too many times. A college graduate is torn between two choices. They worry, make pros and cons lists, maybe they ask God for clarity. And inherent in this response is the notion that God only has one set road for your life and whether you choose the right one is directly dependent on your ability to seek Him.”
“If this is true, then I am terrible at seeking the Lord. There have been many times in my life when I was presented with multiple options. And all of them appeared viable. So I prayed to God for clarity. Cue the Jeopardy music. I waited. And waited. And waited. No sign. No clarity. Well, what now? Was I not praying hard enough? Did I choose the wrong road?”
“Absolutely not.”
“God’s plan for our lives is not always linear. This is a Western mindset, not a Biblical one. God’s direction can include branches and offsets. The path to the final destination can be achieved more than one way.”
“God’s design for your life is for you to seek Him with all of your heart. When you get to a fork in the road, pray about it and then just choose a road. Stop wasting months. Stop waiting on “clarity.” Stop agonizing over whether you chose the ‘right’ road. Just choose a road. If you are seeking the Lord, there is no wrong road.”
It can be difficult to remember that our culture can drastically alter our view of God. Where we’re born, how we live, all of it can affect our faith on some level. In many ways this is a good thing, it gives Christians new perspectives and experiences to draw on, but it can also be used to confuse and mislead us. Always look to scripture, and remember our lives are built on the truth of Christ.
What about you? Are there any lies American culture is trying to tell you?
*Published 2/2/2015
**Ryan Duncan is the Entertainment Editor for Crosswalk.com
