Why Do You Believe What You Believe?

Would you rather listen than read? Listen here.

The Finish Line

This has been an incredible couple of weeks. In May I took part in a walk challenge with the Global Lyme Alliance. It went better than expected and my friends I used to run marathons with decided then to come and complete a 10K with me. Last week, these two amazing friends flew from Orlando and held my hands with me as we crossed the finish line.

The following day, I boarded a plane to head to Texas for a conference with my son. We got to catch up with lifelong friends, family, and even a new family member. I had so much fun I forgot to take any pictures because I was so deep in conversation.

Moving around the country has given me the opportunity to meet amazing people from many areas. From my time in Texas, then Florida, and back to Texas and then to Montana, all felt like they collided this week. Seeing people from all the places I have lived brought me immense joy.

What We Believe

At the conference, we learned about the different aspects of our life and how they affect what we believe about everything in our life. They impact how we raise our kids, what we think about finances, and what we think about God. It all comes from what we have learned from family, friends, and other influences throughout our life.

A few weeks back, I opened up about the impact my great-grandmother’s words had on me for years (you can read about that here). Sometimes pastors we deeply respect interpret scripture not the way God intended and we believe it because of who said it. And let’s not forget the influence our parents have on us during our formative years – we absorb their words, whether they were right or wrong, we believe it with unwavering trust. This conference challenged me to look at more of what I believe about myself and bring it before God and see what He says about me. By having all the places I have lived represented to me prior to the conference culminated into a beautiful experience that has left me feeling free to be who God created me to be.

Paul Challenges The Romans

In Romans, we find Paul addressing the Roman church with similar wrong beliefs. You can read some of these in Romans chapter six. Brought up under the law, the Jews battled the new ideas of not having to follow the law any longer. It’s what they knew. The law was taught to them from as early as they could begin learning. Now they came face to face with Jesus and how all of this should fit into their new lives in Christ.

The Gentiles came from a pagan culture, much like those of us who come to know Jesus. We lived in the world, believed what the world taught us, and now we come before Jesus and have to confront our sin.

No matter their past, Paul opposed their beliefs and spoke the truth over them. This is one reason it’s so important for us to stay in the scriptures and be with like-minded people who will encourage us in our faith and challenge our beliefs. Too often I meet people and they have a belief and if asked why, they believe what they do, they will respond, “because that is what my pastor says.”

I would like to say something very bold and may sound strange coming from a pastor’s wife, but stop listening only to your pastor. They are human, just like you. We put them on pedestals and hang on to their every word. They can misinterpret things just as much as we can. It’s not fair to them or to yourself to hold their word above the Bible’s teachings.

Stay In The Word

I challenge you to get in the Word daily. When you go to church, come home and reread the scriptures taught that Sunday. What does God want to show you from those verses? When you heard the message, something may have popped up and made you unsure. Go back and read it for yourself. We are still very much like children on the playground. When friends would say something that challenged our beliefs, we would say, “that’s not what my mom says.” And as adults, we say, “that is not what my pastor says.” I want to know what you believe. Did you read it in scripture? Did you study it? Did you make sense of it for yourself? It is much more convincing when you believe it and have studied it and carry it in your heart.

Watch For False Teachings

Please don’t get me wrong. I love pastors and they have one of the hardest jobs on the planet, but please do not take their word above what the scriptures say. This can go for teachers, mentors, anyone you may listen to and never check the truth in what they say. Matthew warns us to watch for false teachings.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 NIV

I have a few Bible teachers I love to listen to. They are wonderful teachers that have spent a lot of time studying and in the word. But, when they say something that is a new idea, something I have never heard before, or something in me that says check that, I do. I go back to the word myself and see what it says. I check other commentaries to see what they say. Often I will start asking questions to other people and most of all I will go before the Lord and ask Him to see the scripture as He would have me see it.

Facing Challenging Beliefs

One thing that has worked for me is to pay attention to my body. When something causes me to get nervous, feel insecure, or causes my heart rate to go up, this is often because what someone has said challenges something I believe. I then go back and ask what I believe, where did I first learn it, and then read scriptures on the topic, and go before God asking Him to reveal the truth. The more attentive I have been to this, the more I have come before God asking Him to show me His truth, and my eyes have opened to so much more.

I encourage you to not fall into the rut of what society teaches. Don’t believe everything you are told. Go to back to God, the One who created you in your mother’s womb, and ask Him to show you what He would have you believe.

Study Revelation With Me

Join me for a study on Revelation. I’m teaching Revelation both in person and online! Filled with worship, prophecy, and mystery, this fascinating book holds so much that I am excited to share with all of you. Let’s dive deep into its wonders together!