The Cause of a Stiff Neck
No, I am not a doctor, and I am not going to write about the cause of a stiff body part. I am writing about a well documented spiritual condition known as having a stiff neck. It refers to being very unwilling to change and to obey what God has for us to do. It is very common among believers today, so we need to hear the cause from Jeremiah, so we can prevent it or apply the cure. (Jeremiah 17:23) Our lives will be much more fulfilling and pain free, if we will avoid having this malady.
The onset of having a stiff neck is when we decide not to obey what we know the Bible says or what the Lord has told us clearly. Each time we fail to obey, it gets easier and easier to disobey the next time. Also, we fail to listen to what God is saying. We act like we can't hear Him. All believers can hear from the Lord. The only reason we fail to hear is that we decide not to listen, often because we do not agree with what we know the Lord will say.
Therefore, when we decide not to obey and to listen, we develop a stiff neck. We decide to go our way, and we become inflexible with the Lord. We even come to the point when we no longer hear, and we no longer receive instruction. Those are the most common symptoms of having a stiff neck. After all, why should God keep speaking to us, if we decide not to obey or to listen to Him. Then, we are out of God's will, so our lives are not joyful and fulfilling. We know something is missing, but we think it is God's fault, not our own. Also, we have the pain of God's punishment for disobeying Him. That leads us to live a life of disappointment and pain, which God never intended. All we have to do to avoid having a stiff neck or cure this condition is to start obeying God's Word, and when He starts speaking again, we decide to listen and obey Him. Almost instantly the stiff neck is gone.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 18-20.
The onset of having a stiff neck is when we decide not to obey what we know the Bible says or what the Lord has told us clearly. Each time we fail to obey, it gets easier and easier to disobey the next time. Also, we fail to listen to what God is saying. We act like we can't hear Him. All believers can hear from the Lord. The only reason we fail to hear is that we decide not to listen, often because we do not agree with what we know the Lord will say.
Therefore, when we decide not to obey and to listen, we develop a stiff neck. We decide to go our way, and we become inflexible with the Lord. We even come to the point when we no longer hear, and we no longer receive instruction. Those are the most common symptoms of having a stiff neck. After all, why should God keep speaking to us, if we decide not to obey or to listen to Him. Then, we are out of God's will, so our lives are not joyful and fulfilling. We know something is missing, but we think it is God's fault, not our own. Also, we have the pain of God's punishment for disobeying Him. That leads us to live a life of disappointment and pain, which God never intended. All we have to do to avoid having a stiff neck or cure this condition is to start obeying God's Word, and when He starts speaking again, we decide to listen and obey Him. Almost instantly the stiff neck is gone.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Jeremiah 18-20.