Proven Not Perfect
Proven Not Perfect
Stop Overthinking in Your Life
Ever find yourself tangled in analysis, trying to decode every instruction and intention before taking action? Join me, Shontra Powell, as I navigate through Mark 8:15-21 from the New King James Version of the Bible, where Jesus’s interaction with his disciples offers a profound lesson in trust and faith. Through a personal lens, I share how this passage challenges our habitual reasoning tendencies and invites us to embrace the simplicity of divine guidance without overthinking. This episode resonates deeply with those of us who are accustomed to dissecting every detail, offering a fresh perspective on the value of surrendering to faith and trusting a wisdom that surpasses our understanding.
In this reflection, we explore the significance of Jesus's questions to his disciples, urging them—and us—to recall past personal miracles (indescribable and undeniable events) and trust in the process. I reflect on my own journey of moving from constant analysis to a place of obedience and faith, highlighting the humbling realization that not every instruction requires our full comprehension, just our trust. For anyone who identifies as a critical thinker, this discussion is a call to action to step back, let go of the need to reason everything, and find peace in simply following divine instruction.
This is applicable in our personal and professional journey, as we are called and led. Tune in for a thought-provoking and engaging conversation that encourages us to let go and fully embrace faith.
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Hey, proven Not Perfect. This is Chantrapal. I wanted to come on here and share with you, as I do when I have my Proven Not Perfect in brief moments. I wanted to share with you something that I'm reading in the Bible right now and you can pull out yours. I'm looking in the New King James Version, but you know what? I've actually been enjoying the ESV version as well. I'm really exploring the different versions, not sort of venturing too far out. Message is very interesting. You know long viewpoint, but anyway, for today, this is the new King James version.
Speaker 1:So I'm in this season where I'm really really really focused on the relationship that I have with Jesus and before you can have a relationship with anyone, whether that is, you know God of our life, jesus, or you know a human being on earth right, you have to seek to understand, and part of that seeking to understand is getting to know. So I've just been drawn into a personal study season where it's getting deeper and understanding the chronological life of Jesus, the teachings of Jesus in the context of his walk and his energy and his movement, and just all the things y'all. So something hit me pretty impressively this morning as I was looking at Mark 8. And in particular Mark 8, I am looking at verse 15. Then he charged them, saying take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. Then I'll keep going. 16. And they reasoned among themselves, saying it is because we have no bread. Okay, I'm going to pause there. So here in this part of the story, you have Jesus basically giving instruction and warning to his disciples and, instead of them just receiving the instruction, they start doing what many of us do and they start reasoning and they start trying to suggest that they oh, I know why he said that, or, oh, I know what this meant and oh, I know what he's thinking about this. Oh, and I know where this might lead. Oh, and I know why that led to that. They start reasoning. Is this hitting any of y'all? Because I'm going to tell you this as a critical thinker, as a type A person. I'm really on the reasoning team. I am on Jesus's reasoning team and I would have been right there with the disciples hearing him pretty much tell me stop reasoning, right? Okay?
Speaker 1:So what happens in verse 17? Here it comes, but Jesus, being aware of it, said to them why do you reason? Because you have no bread, but I'm going to keep going. Do you not yet perceive, nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to him 12. Also, when I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to him 12. Also, when I broke the seven for the 4,000, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up? And they said seven. So he said to them how is it you do not understand what that part, understand what that part? So now I just read all the way down to verse 21, where it got to the punchline of this conversation between Jesus and the disciples.
Speaker 1:But I can't stop going back to verse 17. In the very beginning, why do you reason? No-transcript. He gave instruction in verse 15 of Mark, mark 8, mark 8, 15. He gave instruction take heed, beware of the leaven. And in verse 17, he says why do you reason? Because in verse 16, people like Shantra, disciples, were trying to second guess and or pre-guess why he gave the instruction that he did. That is not our job, y'all. That's not our job. It's beyond our pay grade, and if you're in a corporate sense, you know what I mean. It's beyond our pay grade. Sometimes you just got to do what you're asked to do, period, and you let the people that are your superior, that are your authority, you let them do what they do above you, but you don't have to reason everything. So the three takeaways for me, one when Jesus gives instruction, believe it, follow it and see where it takes you. Period, Believe it, follow it and see where it takes you. Do not reason. All right, y'all, go and be blessed.