Jesus Doesn’t Want to Fix You
I meet and talk with people all the time that are disappointed. At some point in their life; when they were growing up, when they were in college, when they were in financial trouble, when they got married, when they got divorced, when they had kids; they bought into this version of Christianity that The Church has been selling for years:
My Current Life + Jesus = Life and Life to its fullest.
We in the church sell the Jesus that will fix your problems, will make life more fulfilling, will help you have a better marriage, will give you better friendships, will make you a better parent. This version of Jesus is a best seller! So, like ordering at the drive through of McDonald’s people Biggie Size their life, and they add Jesus.
What quickly happens is we realize this formula for a good life doesn’t work. Jesus plus my marriage doesn’t fix my marriage problems. Jesus plus my finances doesn’t fix my debt problem. Jesus plus my friends doesn’t fix my relationship problem. Jesus plus my job doesn’t fix the lack of purpose I feel in my life. Jesus plus my kids doesn’t fix the disconnect between my kids and me. So over the course of time, we settle for this version of Christianity and we think something is wrong with us or more often we think something is wrong with Jesus.
Here is the biggest problem with living like this. Once we realize that something is wrong with Jesus, and he can’t fix us…we lose hope. We lose hope for our marriage, we lose hope in discovering our purpose, we lose hope in overcoming our addictions, we lose hope in being the parent our kids need, we lose hope in our friendships being deep and meaningful.
The result is that we have a life that is very well lived on the outside, but very empty on the inside. We think that this life with Jesus isn’t all that it was advertised to be.
Jesus doesn’t want to fix you. Jesus doesn’t want to be the Biggie Size at the end of your order. He doesn’t want to be an add on when you can’t figure out life or marriage or friendship. He doesn’t want to make you better.
What does Jesus want? He wants all of you. He wants to see you die so He can live. He wants you to completely surrender the life you’ve tried to construct and invite Him in to recreate you. Jesus doesn’t offer an improved version of you, he is offering a brand new creation.
This life of Jesus comes with a price…it will cost you. The price tag is your life for His life. The cost is you allowing Him to be the leader of your life and not just a tag along.
What you will begin to live is the life you’ve always longed for. What he will give you is the life you’ve always wanted.
Is there an area of your life that you are just adding Jesus onto and hoping He’ll fix it?
18 Comments to “Jesus Doesn’t Want to Fix You”
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I've always considered his remaking me into a new creation was "fixing" me in the sense I was broken beyond repair until He came along.
Good post, Justin.
I hear ya…and I know what you are saying. I thought about that as I wrote the post…but Jesus doesn't want a repaired you, he offers a brand new you… maybe it is just semantics between what you are saying and what I am saying.
Love this post, and it is so very true. I would say the primary area for me would be career, but it was deeper because of what I was looking to my career for. Surely, if I added Jesus to it, I'd have an awesome, successful "Jesus" career and people would love me. "He wants you to completely surrender the life you’ve tried to construct and invite Him in to recreate you." Yes, sir. Lay it down, lay it down, lay it down…
As I was writing my first blog post yesterday, I was looking at Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” That is a complete heart removal and transplant, not just an upgrade. The lives we live for ourselves are too deeply fragmented and broken to simply be primed, painted and polished. That's what WE try to do, but He makes all things new.
Grant…I love the passage out of Ezekiel…it was a passage that I read so much during my recovery and counseling. Thanks for sharing that!
Justin i have to say Stacy saw your video and was BLOWN AWAY. Very deep and good stuff. I am so happy that you and Trisha have found your way! Good to see you out here doing good stuff. We need to catch up! love the blog! VERY TRUE indeed!
TIC,
Michael P
MP…bro, your comment means so much to me! Thanks for taking the time to watch our video. Would love to catch up…I've got your cell phone, I'll give you a call soon!
I WANT to be new…I don't just want a cleaned-up version of the old me. I hear (to quote above) "lay it down," but HOW??? How do I surrender? How do I know He hears me? How do I just let it all go? It's said over and over in one way, shape, or form or another, but no one tells me how to do it , or if they do, I totally miss it. I hear it, I believe it, but I don't know how to go about it. Do I read the Bible? Do I do good things? How do I let the old me go? Maybe I'm too much of a "give me directions" kinda girl, but it's driving me crazy and I think I'm "doing it wrong" and that's why it doesn't work. But how can I do something I don't know HOW to do??!Can anyone help me?
Christy, you must be in my head!!! I feel exactly the same way! I want it…more than anything, but HOW?
Sorry I can't give you an answer, but I sure can help you know that you're not alone.
Well I think there is plenty of help out there for you, i'll let Justin and Trisha point you in the right direction. But let me share personally what that has looked for me over the last year. I've lived in a "christian" environment all my life, but that didn't translate into my life.
Do you read the Bible? everyday, as much as I can. How do I let the old me go? I don't do anything the old me did (tv, websites,friends,music, etc) I've found blogs and websites (like this one) that i just immerse myself in. Fill my mind with Godly advise and community.
Really its a daily battle for me, to fill my mind with Godly things and keep the world out. My wife is a great help and encouragment to me on this. She holds me accountable, everything is open to her and available for her to check.
Everyone has a different story, struggle, battle…but the end game in the "how?" is the same. Exactly what Justin has said, God doesn't want your good deeds, your bible reading, your church going…he wants YOU.
Great words Cshell! Thanks so much for your transparency!
Christy – I cry the same tears. But to be honest with I cry out with a loud voice, "How do I surrender? What do i need to do Lord Jesus? Just tell me! I'll do it!!" ……and then I whisper "so I can get out of this mess, out of this struggle." Then in a loud voice, "I can't bear this any longer! I can't bear this "me", I can't bear this situation." Then I ashamedly realize, I'm back to focusing on myself under the pretense of whole-heartedly desiring God because He is just that WONDERFUL. There are many ways to "die" to Christ. I am going through something right now. It is so painful. While I'm making the decision to die to self I think of 1 cor. 9:27. It's not easy for me. I have moments where I decide how am I going to respond – am I going to respond in a manner to protect myself or in a manner that encourages my vulnerability while I am being beaten down.
I don't really know. I just resonated so well with your comment that I wanted to let you know "I hear ya, sister!"
Christy, Stephanie, Liz…what I was trying to say is that when we compartmentalize our life…when we only invite God into part of our lives then we experience only a part of the life God intended. I would give God my worship, but not the movies I watched, the TV shows I watched, the web sites I went to…then I was surprised when I had marriage problems or lust issues. When we only give God part of our heart, we in essence don't give him anything. We expect God to show up and he has tried, but we have withheld from Him. Does that make sense? When I talk about surrender, I am talking about surrendering my time, my resources, my habits, my hurts, dreams to Him. It is easier said than done, and it is a daily choice. What it looks like for you is different than it looks like for me. Your heart to seek this is so admirable and I am so confident that God longs to answer your prayers, he sees your tears and he longs to lead you and guide you to the life you long for. I am so honored that we can have this conversation and be on this journey with you.
"Jesus plus my marriage doesn’t fix my marriage problems." I want to stand up and applaud you for saying this. So many hearts get broken, so many marriages and relationships ruined bc they see Jesus as their personal "genie." Like He grants wishes instead of showing you the truth/the way. He is a lamp unto our feet…not a lamp to rub and get wishes out of!
Much Love man.
"He doesn’t want to be an add on when you can’t figure out life or marriage or friendship. He doesn’t want to make you better."
Bam. Great stuff.
Thanks Danny!
Thank you for this post. It has really prompted me to look at my expectations of the Christian life. I've never been a prosperity gospel person, but have really struggled with the emptiness of life. Just did a couple of posts on this issue. Thank you for helping tilt "the kaleidoscope" a little to see from another angle.
I too have fallen into the “Jesus as genie” trap-especially in my marriage and my finances. I know I compartmentalize my life and give Jesus the parts I want Him to have.
In reality, I want to surrender all to Jesus-not just the parts I want him to have. I know that God (through Jesus) is not a “Mr Fix-It”, but a loving Lord who wants HIS best for me. And it’s hard to make that “leap”.
God also revealed to me that when we try to push those parts of our lives that we want Jesus to fix, they become dominant in our hearts to the point that we move Jesus aside. Then any “solution” that comes our way we erroneously think it’s from the Lord and we create a bigger problem. Whereas if we had just surrendered all, we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Thank you and God bless you! Peace!
Romans 8:28-29 Jesus wants to transform us into His image by the power of the Holy Spirit. To be like Him again which was what Abba created us in the beginning.