When in Doubt Do Without
I know…I know…it’s simplistic and it rhymes, but don’t discount this powerhouse truth because of its inherent cuteness. When in doubt, do without. This basic principle has saved me from doing numerous things that could have brought more pain and brokenness into my world.
Sometimes God is crystal clear on what is prohibited or inappropriate. Things like adultery, murder, and stealing are pretty easy to support as being unequivocal no-nos. But there are situations in life that are more ambiguous and nuanced. “Should I eat this? Should I drink that? What is appropriate to watch? What is appropriate to say? How much is too much? How much is too little? Should I stay? Should I go?”
How do we know what God wants us to do? We have great freedom in Christ to enjoy life outside the confines of legalistic religious expressions. Freedom is a powerful thing that we are responsible for stewarding wisely.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1 NIV)
Do not replace your relationship with the living God with a system of religious rules. When we return to Law, we depart from grace. As people of grace though, we are responsible for exercising our freedom in ways that blesses our world and reveals God’s love.
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Galatians 5:13 NIV)
Galatians 5 has some wonderful tension built into the text. We are free, but we are not to abuse our freedom through self-indulgence. Instead, we are instructed to use our freedom to serve others humbly in love.
When questioning an action, it is important to reflect on how it will impact others. Will it be constructive or destructive? Will it build others up or tear them down? Will it encourage them to follow Jesus or discourage their faith?
“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NIV)
There are times when I wrestle with these questions and receive an answer from God. When I accept God’s answer there is great confidence and peace. I have no need to defend what I do, because I am secure in God’s answer. There are other times when I wrestle with these questions and find myself unsure and lacking clarity. In those times, I cling to this posted note.
When in doubt, do without.
I would rather wait for peace and clarity from God than bring conflict and confusion from me to my world. It is better to slow down and be confident in your relationship with God, than to speed up and jump into something that hurts others. If our hearts are not at peace with God, we cannot have peace with ourselves or our world. Seek God first…His Kingdom and His righteousness. When we live in submission to God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will, we are free to enjoy every good thing He has for us.
But…when in doubt, do without.
