Leaving Beyond – Grounded In Scripture

Written by: April J. Buchanan

There was a time when I consumed the same content, books, studies, conferences, voices I believed were anointed. They always seemed to know exactly what to say and always spoke directly to what I was feeling. I assumed that had to mean they were hearing from God.

Now I look back and it is cringeworthy.

There is no substance there. God is mentioned, but only as a supporting character in the story of my brokenness, my destiny, my path to greatness. It is not even a convincing counterfeit. One has to be both starved for truth and deeply absorbed with self to find it compelling. And yet, I was all in and proud of it.

The sheer volume of shallow, self indulgent Bible studies and books marketed to women is astonishing. Why do we tolerate it? Why are we so governed by our emotions that we lie to ourselves and to one another, calling this empowerment, depth, or spiritual maturity?

Much of it feels like those once viral videos where women filmed themselves pretending to put their husbands in their place, only to realize, when the camera is held at the husband’s height, why he laughs and says, “You’re so cute when you’re mad.” It is not powerful. It is embarrassing.

And yet we ask, do we actually care about truth?

Why do we elevate anyone with a testimony as though suffering grants secret knowledge or a special anointing? As if hardship itself confers authority. As if the Gospel is no longer sufficient on its own.

That is the real issue. We are dissatisfied with the Word of God.

That statement will ruffle feathers. Good. The lion does not need to be contained. And frankly, the voices demanding it be caged sound more like kittens anyway.

Many women have sat for so long under shallow teaching that they no longer recognize sound doctrine. When they finally encounter it, they are offended, not because it is harsh, but because it exposes the immaturity and silliness of what they have been celebrating as deep.

What so many women boast in as profound, powerful, and transformative simply is not.

We have told women endlessly how anointed they are and how their testimony must be shared because souls depend on it. Seriously? So now the Gospel is not enough either?

If what you want to hear is that your suffering is happening because the devil is threatened by your greatness, because you are about to rise up and do amazing things, then you do not want Scripture. You do not want the Gospel. You do not want truth about sanctification, sin, or the reality that suffering is common to all mankind, both saved and unsaved.

You do not want to be confronted. You want flattery baptized in spiritual language.

Ladies, we naturally gravitate toward this garbage. And not only that, we love it. But the Holy Spirit never leads anyone there. Not once. Not ever. If the Spirit of God dwells in us, He draws us away from that mess and toward truth. And that truth is sufficient.

Not everything in your life is happening because you are exceptional and Satan is terrified of you. Why is it that the worst theology produces the most self talk and the most obsession with the devil?

Often, Satan does not need to interfere at all. Those writing these books and blogs have already concluded that Scripture is insufficient and they are leading countless women to adore the god of self.

This is not pleasant to hear. But it is true.

And if the shoe fits, repent.

Grace and peace, y’all.
Soli Deo Gloria