Authenticity

Lately I have dwelt a lot on the idea of authenticity. The concept is so intriguing to me that it has led to serious self inspection, as you may have read in my last entry. Authenticity is a huge deal and the first step you can take is a step of willingness. So please, willingly step with me into a zone outside yourself once again.

Defining the word is usually a safe way to begin this kind of thing so here goes.

Webster Definition

1) not false or imitation; real.

     2) True to one's own personality, character, or spirit.

I especially like the first definition. Don't be an imitation! Don't be false! 

The church is filled with fake people. We are often just imitations of something we want others to see but not who we really want to be. Granted we have all been fake at times and fake people can be found proportionately throughout any environment.  However I find it extremely dangerous in a Christian one because it is so easy to do. Listen to what the apostle John had to say. 

John 5:44- How can you believe when you accept praise from others yet make no attempt to obtain the praise that comes from the Lord. 

And thus we find the problem with living in an environment of believers especially young ones. The big question is, am I who I am to impress others, to make friends, or to find a spouse, or am I am who I am because it IS who I am. Sorry, I overused "I am" a bit in that sentence but you get the picture. 

I want to hone in specifically on something I feel many college students struggle with and that is relationships. I know I have struggled with it myself. It is so easy for us to idealize ourselves and express ourselves in such a way as to get someone's attention. Its what society tells us we have to do. In a college atmosphere of discontented single students, this creates a problem. The only way to counter it is to know WHO you are. You are not a mirror of the wants and needs of others which is so easy to fall into. Trust me, I know. Every personality assessment I have ever taken stresses this is my weakness and that has proven true many times. However, with Christ as my center and my identity, I find peace to be me. It actually has become a good measurement as to the authenticity of my relationship with Christ. If I am seeking the praise of others then it is because I have turned from the praise of God. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THIS THOUGH; enjoying praise is DIFFERENT from seeking praise. It would be stupid for me to claim I don't appreciate and find encouragement from the praise of others. We should daily be giving out praise to others as well! Seeking praise is exactly how it sounds: all of our actions are reduced to one sad objective; to gain just a little bit more praise from those around us.

It becomes much like an Inception scenario when you look into things like, am I acting in humility so that others know I am humble? Am I asking God for strength so that others see me as strong? Do I speak of Christ as my center because I want others think more highly of me? These questions are hard to ask and they convict me even as I write this.

Authenticity is not consistency in perfection but rather, consistency in how our behavior reflects the condition of our heart. Everybody is capable of being authentic right now and if that looks ugly then we know we have work that needs to be done in our hearts. Does that mean authenticity is telling everybody   how you are feeling? No. Does that mean if you are broken inside you should cry all the time? No. It simply means don't say one thing and do something else or vice versa. It means be honest with those closest to you and humble with those you meet each day. It is authenticity in values and not necessarily emotions. Not everybody needs to know you're a wreck (most of us are) but they do need to see that your values are unchanging and planted firm in Christ, not for your own sake.

Check yourself and examine your motives. Don't just do it today but every day and before every conversation. Your authenticity has eternal weight to it, you cannot afford nor should you want to settle for a simple imitation.

Who's driving your oil tanker?

The pretense of togetherness and peace is a broken man's ghillie suit. Only the fool thinks he has reached the end, bandaged the wounds, fixed the problem, found the solution, straightened the path, obtained the knowledge, and conquered the objective. So its time for some introspection; its time we face the fool in all of us.

The past few weeks have been "good" weeks for me. God is revealing plans, giving me opportunities, and teaching me all sorts of new things. I know that now, but it took some self investigation to catch the virus plaguing my flesh. That virus is pride.

You see, I was exploding with the pretense of togetherness, the idea that I can't be wrong. After all, I went to Interfaith AND Lansing this past week serving the homeless and the alien, I had to be doing it right.  So there it was, I had figured it out. All I needed to do in life was devote this time to serving, this time to praying, this time to school, this time to friends, say nice things, smile, and show love. That's it right? Wrong. These things happen to be good, but not everything good is done with the right intentions, the proper authority, or the appropriate source of strength.

A pitiful attempt at using paint on my laptop

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 4:11

As I began my own introspection to my bewilderment I asked, "Is that a blind monkey trying to drive and oil tanker through a mine field?" Nope, just Stephen Husk. Since you have taken the time to read this far in, please allow me to feed you with a new kind of reality check. You're a blind monkey trying to drive through a mine field. But hope exists! In fact its not just hope, it is sureness, it is truth, it is a promise of the Lord in heaven.

Friends, God happens to be Jason Bourne when he is behind the wheel. Do you know what else? He is sitting in your little passenger seat. What would happen if we REALLY gave him the wheel?  I don't know about you but I have always wanted to ride along with Jason Bourne during one of his epic car chases, but I am even more pumped about what God can do. He can lead us into places we never dreamed.

But what does it mean to give God the wheel? That is where the self inspection comes in. What aren't we giving to God? And don't say that there is nothing you haven't given to God. There is always something and we can't gain this perfect trust without God helping us out. It takes "Job moments" to truly give everything to the Lord, try asking for humility that comes from the kind of brokenness Job experienced, I dare you!

For me pride was infecting my body. Every act I did was for the public eye to know, everything was so that people could say, "he has it together," when really I was just a blind monkey driving an oil tanker through a mine field. This selfish selflessness is a disease rampant in every Christian community.

The thing that is truly suffering, at least for me, is my secret life. We must daily give ourselves to God in secret. We give ourselves to God when we are alone; just our thoughts and him, nobody else to pat us on the back or hold us accountable. So ask yourself, do I have a daily secret life with God that nobody knows about? This secret time is a measure of our own authenticity, something that God desires for us. It rejuvenates our spirit, enabling us to serve him even more. It gives him the wheel so that crazy stupid awesome things might happen, and they will! All we must do is give him our life to be transformed to his will, not our own; to his glory, not our own; to his power not our own; to his objective, not our own; to his reputation, not our own; to his people's peace, not our own.

Go in secret with the Lord, its where he separates the men from the boys. Quite frankly, I still have some growing up to do, but without introspection pride could have infected my entire being for years to come. Now I can grow in his direction. I encourage you to do the same.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Your Dream is Waiting

To my reader, I have good news! God has a dream for you that will blow your mind. However, your fears are probably getting in the way. Let me tell you what I mean.

I remember the first time I ever played the drums in front of an audience. After playing Rockband for two years I had decided it was time to take up a real instrument. A month later I found myself on stage for our youth group. When I get really nervous, my ankles itch. Weird right? Well my ankles were itching like no tomorrow. How could someone like me who had no music experience be playing worship for these people? Just yesterday I was thinking it would be sweet to play for the band and now I am in the band. So I prayed to God in that moment and asked that his name be glorified (I may have also asked him not to let me embarrass myself hehe). Sure enough, it was an amazing experience and I got a ton of encouragement even though Im sure I probably played pretty terribly. 

So here I am three years later, and I am getting paid to play on a worship team with a seven other college students and travel around to different church camps. What a crazy opportunity right? Guess what? I'm scared to death! But I know God will lead me and I also know how depressing life can be living in the comfort zone lying to myself about how great things are going all the while knowing there is something I am missing out on. 

Before I went to Kenya I was scared. Could I even survive in Kenya for three weeks? Could I raise money to go? Could I still have a summer job? All of these were uncertain until I actually made the step of faith and went. Turns out I got a sweet internship despite the three weeks I had to miss work, I raised more than enough money to go, and the trip itself changed my life and the lives of others in profound ways I could not have dreamed of. 

I could go on but I am not here to impress you or tell you that trusting God is peachy the way you think of the term. If you want to be impressed please just ask for other people's stories. I am still young, and my experience is small compared to many of the giants before me. 

You see God has an INCREDIBLE plan for each one of us. I know you have heard about this plan but I hope you can listen to me and open your heart so that God might convince you of it. 

Is fear holding us back? Can I tell you something? I think God is big enough to handle whatever problems you throw his way. 

Imagine then if you will. You are sitting in your comfortable little house, with your comfortable little TV, and your warm cup of coffee. By the door is God dressed for adventure. Perhaps you envision Indiana Jones or Aragorn. Whoever it may be, he asks you excitedly "are you ready to go?" For a moment you let your eyes leave the TV and you see his ernest but joyful expression. "Its gonna be sweet bro! You gotta trust me!"But leaving would mean getting up out of the comfortable chair and missing the rest of your favorite television show. Finally you say "No, Im just not ready yet." God gives smile and a nod and sits down beside you. "Well, I can wait for you then."

Do you see the tragedy in this? There is something incredible waiting for you out that door. God is much bigger than those things. Do you trust him? Do you believe that he has a plan for your life? Faith is part belief but also part action. Faith is making the leap despite all of your fears. Perhaps you are older and you think it is too late. The beauty of it all is that God is still waiting, he has not left you or taken a nap. You may never know what could have been, but there is so much more that can still be! If you are young like me, then hear this. Write down your dreams; write down who you want to be and not just what you want to do. Live each day holding the hand of God and letting him lead the way. And no matter what happens, know that the Lord is with you. I am certain that I would rather live God's dream for me than in a comfortable house, with a comfortable cup of coffee, and a comfortable TV set even if that means a life of persecution like Paul had. 

Can you imagine what our reaction would be to God's plan in our lives once we reach heaven? I will be much more pumped than these guys were when they reached the bottom of that mountain (watch to the end to hear their reactions) . Heck I am more pumped for the few things he has done already! Can you imagine looking back at that mountain knowing you just dominated it? There is only one way to find out!

Trust God, I think if he created and sustains the universe then he must be able to take care of you and I. Tell Indy "Heck yeah, lets do it!" Then without a look back, suit up and head out into the unknown behind him knowing he will be with you the whole way. 

P.S. If you have a request as to what I should write about please let me know! I may be ignorant about it but I will do my best! Thanks!