Ruth's Ramblings

The Problem of Demandingness

Such arrogance! But I am guilty of this, along with many others (an excerpt from Larry Crabb, Inside Out, pp. 142-143):

In this chapter, I want to explore neither our outside sinfulness nor our inside struggles. I want to expose the sin in our heart. I want to be more precise, however, than those who think of internal sinfulness as a tendency toward impatience or an occasional critical spirit. The problem in our heart is far worse than many suspect. When we look inside, we'll bump into more than bad memories and painful feelings. An honest look will in every case eventually expose something terribly ugly - something I want to label demandingness.

We are a demanding people. Because we stubbornly walk right past God's water supply to dig our own wells, we end up depending for our own survivial on finding water when we dig. Our efforts at self-protection must work. When we take the responsibility for dealing with our thirst, then survival depends on success in our digging expeditions.

We demand that spouses respond to our needs; we demand that our children exhibit the fruit of our godly training; we demand that our churches be sensitive to our concerns by providing certain ministries; we demand that slow drivers get out of the passing lane; we demand that no one hurt us again the way we were hurt before; we demand that legitimate pleasures, long denied, be ours to enjoy.

How absurd! Can you imagine an army where new recruits give orders or a company where errand boys set policy? And yet mere people shout orders to the universe. Such foolishness is the inevitable result of taking responsibility for securing our own happiness, a burden that's simply too heavy for our shoulders. when we assume responsibility for what we desperately require but cannot control, we irrationally demand that our efforts succeed.

What God does with a demanding spirit, coming soon....

Posted by Ruth at 11/09/2005