2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

As the 4th of July draws near and thousands of Americans venture out to buy fireworks to shoot into the sky, independence is on my mind.

However, it’s not the kind of independence that the July holiday celebrates.  Instead, I’ve been meditating on our days of dependence in Christ.

In recent days, I’ve come to notice that many Christians are ashamed to be totally dependent on Christ.   It’s interesting how ridiculously hard it is for people to come to the end of themselves.  To get to that point of the utter famine of self-reliant resources.  When they can no longer pretend they are ok in their own strength.

Why is it so hard for Christians to get to rock bottom?  Why are so many ashamed to bow their heads in personal defeat?

I think it’s because people are born independent of God.  Until the point of conversion to Christianity, a person has spent their entire life learning how to live for themselves.

When Jesus comes along He offers salvation through Himself, counsel through the Holy Spirit and a dependable, capable, loving Father.

Unfortunately, many Christians don’t make it past the point of belief.  They stumble at even really trusting God.  And if they don’t trust God, then can’t don’t depend on Him for everything.

I was just reading in 2 Kings today about the Israelites.  They knew God and at times worshiped God.  However, they also worshiped idols and served other gods at the same time.  They were the poster children (of God) for a lack of dependence.  Instead of proceeding swiftly to their Promised Land, they paused and tarried for 40 years in the wilderness in defiant independence.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to spend 40 years of my life wandering.  Nah, I’d rather get this dependence in Christ thing down now and be productive and fruitful.

In an attempt to tersify the point I’m making, too many Christians still live independent of God even though they are in a relationship with Him.  It’s kind of like they turn to God and say, “I love You, kinda.”

Let me assure that it’s not a shame to be dependent on Christ.  In truth, it is totally ok and biblical to rest in Christ.  I challenge you to the title of this blog: be dependent in Christ every day.

If Christians get to the point of depending on God, many do not make it past a few moments of dependence.  And maybe minutes, hours or a few days of dependence.  Sadly, however,  after they make it through their current struggle/trouble/problem, they stop totally depending on God and go back to a life of self-dependence.  Then, after the next problem causes their life to go into a downward spiral, they return back to God for more moments of dependence.  It’s a cycle.