THE DANGER OF SEEKING EXPERIENCES

Many of us who are Senior Citizens, can look back at our early religious training and recall how we were urged to seek an "experience" with God when we should have been instructed to seek a "relationship" with our Heavenly Father. As the old cliche says, "Hindsight is better than foresight." If only I had known years ago what I've learned later in life!

Have you ever heard someone say, "I know it is true because I experienced it?" And then your thought processes kicked in, "But I never experienced anything. Therefore I must not be a Christian!" Do I dare add a very unlady-like "Hogwash!" to that?

To those people who are "hep" on experiences, it doesn't matter whether the Word declares something or not. For them, it isn't what the Word of God says but what THEIR EXPERIENCE SAYS!

Faith in experiences isn't always faith in God's Word. Faith in what one has seen or heard isn't necessarily faith in what the Bible says. Many, if not most religious "experiences" are a product of the physical senses, that is, it is something felt, heard, or seen. Now, can you come up with one single Scripture that says if you "feel" thus and so, you are saved? Or if you "hear" such and such, that makes you a Christian? Or if you "see" a vision, you are a Child of God?

"Experiences" of the senses usually leave a person empty when that experience grows old. Seeking "experiences" is always dangerous because that is trusting in flesh instead of the Word, and because "experiences" are connected with the five senses.

Yes, I know there are exceptions, but they are few and far between. And the ones I know about have been visions from God rather than an "experience" someone was seeking. They've also been sent to people right at death's door as an assurance to them and a comfort to their loved ones. These individuals were not seeking an "experience" as knowledge of their salvation. In fact, they weren't seeking anything at all. It was an unsought and unexpected gift of God's love.

Sense "experiences" attract the curious, are fascinating to the spiritually hungry, and are usually in the realm where most people live. I recall one preacher telling about a time he was praying in his darkened bedroom when he saw a bright light. He could have kept his eyes closed and claimed that as a Divine "experience." However, he opened his eyes and lo and behold it was just the neighbor driving into his driveway with his bright lights on and shining through the window!

People who depend on "experiences" for their soul's salvation often seek to have the "experience" repeated. They never believe the Word and therefore are unstable in their faith. They have continual war with doubts and fears and discouragements. They believe much ABOUT the Word, but never believe the Word itself. They believe the word of man rather than the Word of God. To them, God's Word doesn't carry as much authority as the word of a person who has had an "experience."

As someone else said, most of these people have a "rented space" at the altar. They are perpetual seekers who long for experiences and power.

We need to know the sure Word, the unbroken Word, the living Word, the life-giving Word, the all-satisfying Word. We need to give up our quest for "experiences" and let the Word satisfy us.

Perhaps you are thinking of I John 8:16: "The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God." That witness is not an "experience," but the calm assurance of peace within our very soul, a certainty of our being right with God.

What about you? Are you more interested in an "experience" or a "relationship"?

Preacher's Kid