Death to Complacency

I was at our big international conference for my business this past weekend, and I walked away with a lot of conviction.  The word complacent was mentioned, and it hit me pretty hard.  I started to think more about complacency and ask the Lord where it had taken root in my life and all aspects of it.

Dictionary:
     Complacent - Contented to a fault; self-satisfied and unconcerned.

Bible:
     "At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who are like wine left on its dregs, who think, 'The LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.'" (Zephaniah 1:12)

     "Woe to you who are complacent in Zion, and to you who feel secure on Mount Samaria, you notable men of the foremost nation, to whom the people of Israel come!" (Amos 6:1)

     "Within a year and a few days You will be troubled, O complacent daughters; For the vintage is ended, And the fruit gathering will not come." (Isaiah 32:10)

Uh...ouch.

So even though there is more to the story with each one of this scripture references, it is easy for me to decide that I certainly don't want this word to explain any aspect of my life.  However I realized that indeed there are places of Kristen that can very accurately be described in this way right now.

As they say, though, "Knowing is half the battle."  The other half is changing it.

How does complacency set in?  Knowing this will help in preventing it again (and again and again) down the road.  It is like a cancer because it is not usually detected until it has grown enough to cause a problem.  Then it must be fought with vigor and aggression to destroy it completely in order to be set free from it.

My definition of complacent is:
     Knowing what I should do and not doing it.  Being content with where I am.

Even if I think that I am thinking otherwise - ie: I don't consider myself content with where I am - my actions speak the truth.

I have realized that this is going on in my business, for example.  I have a job do to, a responsibility, to those whom the Lord brings before me to offer hope through what my company has to offer.  How can I be complacent when I know how much I have been blessed by it?  How can I act unconcerned for others?

I have realized that I have grown complacent in my prayer life.  I have been more intentional in recent weeks, but still the battle must be fought and won in order to restore my prayer life to one that takes seriously the call to pray.

I have realized that I have grown complacent in my outreach to my neighbors.  I want to show my neighbors the love that Christ has for them and the love that He has given me for them, as a result.  I want to invest in them and be a good friend.

Complacency can sometimes be disguised as busyness.  Sometimes I am busy, but other times I have not been intentional in making what the Lord has called me to do a priority and something of great importance.  I can make great excuses, some of which may even be valid, but the fact remains that a complacent heart is not good.

The Lord sees our hearts.  He knows what is going on in there, and only He can help us do what is right.

I need Him.  It is so easy to become complacent if I forget this truth.  I need Him for everything.  I must depend on Him wholeheartedly and realize that apart from Him I can do no good thing.

So now I revisit these areas of my life, look into what scripture says about them, and carry on.  May I be faithful to continually slay complacency with the Sword of Truth, for His glory.

Can I get an Amen?