Giving God Too Much Credit

Often we do not give God enough credit for what God does. We are quick to give credit to mythical creatures like "Mother Nature" when referring to the weather. We are quick to give credit to science by referring to observable phenomenon in scientific terms like "gravity" instead of God's sovereignty. We are quick to give credit to nebulous terms and ideas like "coincidence" or "serendipity" when events in our lives occur according to a certain rhyme and rhythm.

In all of these examples we can be quick to give credit to very silly notions or smooth sounding scientific terms instead of attributing these things to God. Thus by compartmentalizing certain phenomenon like weather, science or coincidence, we keep God at bay in our everyday lives, yet on reserve for when we need God. In essence, as human beings we have a propensity to avoid crediting God with what God is responsible, yet we can be quick to give God credit for things which God is not responsible.

How do we credit God for things God is not responsible? We give God credit by making God responsible for our own decisions. Christians time and again will refer to God as the impetus for their decisions by prefacing things with the words, "The Lord has lead me to..." or "God has been telling me to..." or "God has laid it upon my heart that ..." I do not doubt that some Christians are sincere and have done the due diligence of discerning over time what God is leading them to do. However, these phrases are used so flippantly that I find myself wanting to ask people, "How is it that God has lead you to this conclusion?" or "How has God laid this upon your heart? Help me understand the process by which God confirmed that this is from God and not from yourself."

I am not suggesting that God does not speak to us? Not at all! I believe God by His Spirit dwelling in us and through God's Word to us in the Bible, God is certainly speaking to us. But I wonder how well we listen, especially considering how poorly we listen to one another.

For instance, I recenlty heard the the number one irritant in the work place is being interrupted. Furthermore, many colleges are now offering "Listening" courses to their Communications Departments. So, if we are such poor listeners to each other, what makes us so confident and sometimes flippant in believing we have accurately heard from God? Could it be that sometimes we are avoiding responsibility for our own decisions/actions and giving God too much credit? Could it be that when we refer to God as leading, in fact its really our own heart and ambitions? Could it be that when this occurs, we are actually using the Lord's name in vain? Isn't this mix up of responsiblity reminiscent of what occured in the Garden of Eden?

These questions are very sobering to me and I want to further explore any "beams in my own eye" on this issue. May the Lord be ever so accurate in leading me. May I be more introspective when I use God's name to justify my behavior.