Follower Trap #4: Not being willing to face objective reality
One of the things I have found growing up competing, coaching and working with others in a variety of different fields is that there are a large number of people that suffer from mild to severe delusions in relation to their efforts and competencies. In other words, a whole lot of us have the tendency to convince ourselves that we are actually working harder and more competent than we really are. The end result of this kind of thinking is that we never make the kind of progress we could and should be able to make because we are unwilling to pay the price.
Great followers, on the other hand, listen to what their leaders are saying, are brutally honest with their performance, and stare reality in the face. They are the ones that err on the side of over practicing and over preparing. They know that in order to accomplish anything worth while there is a huge price involved and in order to ascend to the top you have operate out of a mindset of objective reality.
So what does this have to do with being a Christ follower? Everything! You see, the objective reality is this. Following Christ is hard! In fact, I have often said that we too often mislead people by telling them that when they put their faith in Jesus Christ their life will be better. That simply isn't true. Ultimately, God transforms us into who He wants us to be, but many times that transformation takes place as we walk through the storms of life. Becoming a Christ follower isn't a call to an easier life, it's a call to take up your cross and submit to whatever and wherever Jesus directs. It is a call to die to ourself so that Christ can live through us. When we look at following from this perspective, it changes the way we live.
Truth be told, most of us who call ourselves Christ followers live very comfortable lives. Our call to follow, more often than not, doesn't consist of sacrifice and service, it consists of wanting Christ to serve us. This, in my opinion, all stems from the delusion that following means showing up once a week for church and making sure we watch our P's and Q's. Ultimately this kind of following is demonstrated in our unwillingness to pay the price of taking up our crosses and submitting to the authority of Jesus Christ.
These are tough words that I am writing because they are applicable to me too. But here is the good news. We are not hopeless causes! All of us have the ability to change and change starts by facing objective reality. Here is an action step to start the process: Commit to check delusion at the door. Be honest and ask this critical question: "Are my habits, actions, and behaviors congruent with the kind of follower Christ has called me to be?" If the answer is no...maybe it's time to face reality.
I love what Jim Collins says in his book Good To Great about facing objective reality. He says, "There is a sense of exhilaration that comes in facing head-on the hard truths and saying, "We will never give up. We will never capitulate. It might take a long time, but we will find a way to prevail."