Opinions

By Jon Nichols

As a follower of Jesus, I am convinced that having a life of Prayer and a Life soaked in the Word are two of the most important things I can be about.  We live in a world that is inundated with, impressed with, and led by opinion.  And our particular culture may be one of the most culpable.  How easily we give our opinion on every topic under the Sun and how easily we are guided by those opinions.  

When my life is filled with Prayer and the Word, I find that my life in God is paramount to opinion, whether they be mine or yours.  As I peer the landscape of my 62 years, I can think of a million instances when I freely gave my opinion or carelessly bought into the opinion of others, and honestly the level of immaturity displayed is embarrassing to my soul.  

Opinions are not necessarily bad or misguided.  There are some really smart people in this world.  I have found however, that when my life is bathed in the Word and my lips are inclined towards Prayer, my opinions not only get better, they get fewer.  One of the most vivid and life-altering epiphanies I have ever received from the Lord is: I do not need to have an opinion on every subject, nor do I need to share my opinion on every subject.  My desire is freedom from the need to give an opinion but I desire even more, to be free from the need that drives me towards an opinion.  A life that is grounded in prayer and the scriptures addresses my opinions and when my opinions decrease, my awareness of the presence of God increases.
 
At the end of day, is this not what we search and long for; "well done my beloved son - daughter."
           
May my thoughts be kind and my words few,
Jon Nichols

About the Author; Jon and his wife Kendra live Follett, Texas where he pastors the Global United Methodist Churches of Darrouzett and Follett Texas.