Outcome-Based Faith

We live in a world in which everything is supposedly controlled by very specific cause and effect. There are definitely cases where this can be controlled in science. However, much of the world does not surrender itself to our outcome-based society.

Everything has become prescriptive. Everything has become technique. Everthing has become propositional. And when everything becomes technique, propositional, and prescriptive--God and grace are thrown out the window.

The simple truth is that we are not God. We do not have control over what happens in our life. We do not have control over the responses of others to us. Hell, we often stuggle with control over ourselves.

So how do we deal with this?

Acknowledge that God is God and we are not.

In addition to this, Dallas Willard advises that we act with God, and abandon outcomes. Abandon outcomes? Yes, abandon outcomes. Focus on being with Jesus where Jesus would be. Focus on doing what God would want you to do. Live this way as best as you know how. Then abandon the outcomes to God.

Giving up on controlling everything? Trusting God to take care of the outcomes. Sounds like a definition of faith if I ever heard one.