4 Signs We are Living in Quiet Rebellion
When I hear the word rebellion, my mind is instantly taken to the Hunger Games as the Mocking Jay encourages the people of Panem to fight back against a malicious and out-of-control government. Katniss may have been at the forefront, but the quiet rebellion was already happening behind the scenes. When it reached its peak, the quiet rebellion became a fully-grown revolution.
Quiet rebellion does not remain quiet forever.
It can be easy for us as believers to assume that our small disobedience shouldn’t be considered rebellion against God. We can’t remember the last time we opened our Bibles or bowed our heads to pray. We dip our toes into the pool of emotionalism and post-modern cultural norms that go against the words of God. We stop gathering with God’s people. Our priorities, thoughts, and actions will reveal our slow but sure rebellion against God.
In Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers says, “The best measure of a spiritual life is not its ecstasies but its obedience.” We tend to grade disobedience and sins from terrible to not-so-bad. The reality remains that any disobedience to God is rebellion.
Neglecting God’s Word and Prayer.
A lit match is a small fire, but it wouldn’t take much for it to become uncontrollable. The match of disobedience quite often is walking away from God’s Word. If we are not in the Word, we cannot know who God is or how we are to live. It is our line of communication with God.
Psalm 1 reminds us that the righteous meditate on His Word day and night. It is their source of health and life, just like the tree planted near water streams.
Quiet rebellion begins when we do not open God’s Word or come to Him in prayer.
Emotionalism
Feelings have become a cultural God, and it can be easy to fall into the trap that is emotionalism. We dwell in our anger. We feel life is unfair. We are overcome with anxiety. Feelings are at the center of our world when God should be the center.
Emotions are not bad, but when they begin to dictate our obedience, we have put them in place of God. My feelings should not be my God.
Quiet rebellion is allowing our emotions to be our God.
Exchanging God’s Truth for cultural lies.
It has always been true that the loudest voice will dominate the conversation. This may be the most accurate statement of our time. Whether that be in the news or on social media, the one whose voice appears to be the loudest is the one that is presumed correct. Paul pointed out in Romans 1 that they exchanged the truth for a lie, a perfect picture of our world.
Quiet rebellion is choosing to disregard the words of God or claim them as untrue.
Distancing yourself from God’s people.
Hebrews 10:25 offers instruction for believers to not forsake the gathering together as a body and, in fact, should gather even more as they see the say of the Lord approaching. Why? Nothing matters more than the Gospel. Our lives should be centered around this as believers. Otherwise, what are we doing? We come together with the people of God to be encouraged and equipped. The body is the family of God, and gathering together is not merely a command but should be desired.
Quiet rebellion looks like choosing to disconnect from the people of God.
Our spiritual life will take daily inspection and requires us to answer tough questions. It may look like seeking accountability from another believer or gaining advice from a mentor. Our goal should be to seek obedience to Christ, not out of obligation but out of pure love and devotion to the one who redeemed our lives.
