Why Would You Be Complacent, When You Could Be Faithful?

There are some unexpected things happening in our lives today. We could get caught up in a swirl of worries and fear, but I feel calm. I prayed that the Holy Spirit would fill me up with peace and let me trust in God. Praying to the Holy Spirit is a powerful gift from God. If you never prayed to God and asked God to fill you with the Holy Spirit, try it now.

I prayed this prayer with my kids this morning. Prayer: Dear God, fill us up with your Holy Spirit. Give our hearts peace. Protect us, bless us and watch over us as we go through the day. Do not let anyone or anything harm us today. Amen.

This morning I read the bible book of Zephaniah. I have never read this book before, but I prayed that God would show me, what he wanted me to hear today. In the not so distant past, I believed in God, but I didn’t actively pursue the Lord in my life or trust in God. I was complacent. I thought that I had to do everything in my life on my own. I was unaware of what I was missing. I thought I had to work harder to do everything myself, without help from anyone.

Definition of Complacent by Merriam-Webster Dictionary. 1 : marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies : marked by complacency : self-satisfied a complacent smile. 2 : complaisant sense 1 complacent flattery. 3 : unconcerned.

It is dangerous to become complacent in your faith. We need to actively pursue the Lord each day. We need to make that daily phone call to the Lord. I have found that I need to pray to God, turn over all my worries to God, big and small, each morning. Then, I need to read the bible. I have a radio in my kitchen that I keep on a Christian radio station all day long, as well as in the car. I need to humble myself to God, so I am never again complacent.

In the bible God says that he will search Jerusalem with lamps and punish those who are complacent, who think the Lord will not do anything, good or bad. I picture a warrior walking through the night with a lantern, gathering all those who think too much of themselves, to trust in the Lord. Then, all those who are complacent will feel fear. They will realize how they disregarded the mighty warrior, God. And, on that day, they will know how wrong they were, to be complacent.

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 (NIV)

We cannot be complacent in our faith in the Lord. We need to seek the Lord. Instead of thinking that we can control the outcome of our lives on our own, we need to humble ourselves to the Lord. We need to respect the Lord’s power and bow down before him. We need to be humble. We need to seek righteousness. We need to be honest, good and pure. How can a person’s sinful nature possibly be honest, good and pure? We can’t, unless we seek the one who is righteous. We need to seek the Lord. Perhaps, the Lord will have mercy on us. The Lord may give us shelter and spare us from his anger.

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,
you who do what he commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be sheltered
on the day of the Lord’s anger.
–Zephaniah 2:3 (NIV)

God will destroy all those unfaithful on the day of his anger. The land will be given to the remnant of the people of Judah. What is the remnant? A remnant is a small remaining quantity of something. In this case, its a small remaining quantity of faithful believers in God. Our church pastor pointed out references to ‘the remnant’ when we were studying the book of Jeremiah in the bible. Lately, I have seen many references to ‘the remnant’ in the bible. God will reward the faithful with a pasture, a safe place to sleep, and the Lord will take care of them and restore their fortunes.

That land will belong
to the remnant of the people of Judah;
there they will find pasture.
In the evening they will lie down
in the houses of Ashkelon.
The Lord their God will care for them;
he will restore their fortunes.
–Zephaniah 2:7 (NIV)

God rewards the faithful and takes away their punishment. God stops their enemies with his mighty hand, and the enemies turn back. The Lord is the king of the world, and the faithful should never be afraid of anyone harming them.

The Lord has taken away your punishment,
he has turned back your enemy.
The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;
never again will you fear any harm.
–Zephaniah 3:15 (NIV)

The Lord your God will be with the faithful. God is a mighty warrior who protects us. God loves the faithful and will no longer rebuke or reprimand them. Instead, God will rejoice and sing over his faithful followers.

The Lord your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
–Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

The faithful had to endure oppression, exile and shame. God, the mighty warrior, will deal with all of those who oppressed his faithful people. God will rescue the lame. God will gather the exiles. God will praise and honor his faithful followers in the places they suffered oppression and shame.

At that time I will deal
with all who oppressed you.
I will rescue the lame;
I will gather the exiles.
I will give them praise and honor
in every land where they have suffered shame.
–Zephaniah 3:19 (NIV)

You cannot be a complacent Christian. Either you are in or you are out. Being a faithful Christian will be rewarded, but its also rewarding. When you believe in the Lord and seek God, you are blessed with peace. You can unload all your worries, drama and concerns on the Lord, and he will gladly take them. In return, God will give you peace in your hearts. If you have ever felt turmoil and stress, you will understand the soothing gift of peace. The faithful will be rewarded. God protects the faithful. God rejoices over the faithful. God takes away punishments from the faithful. God praises and honors the faithful. God rescues the faithful. God turns away the faithful’s enemies. God is an almighty warrior for the faithful. God takes care of the faithful. Why would you be complacent, when you could be faithful?