We don't have to act as if we have life all figured out

I recently read a blogpost by Addie Zierman. It's about looking back on the faith you might have had as a teenager and finding it's not the easy romp in the sunshine as some folks make it out to be.

I love Addie's honesty.

And it motivated me to write about this subject of faith and how we grow in it, especially when it might not add up to our expectations.

It's undeniable that there's something in the human spirit that longs for something deeper. Voltaire, who was razor sharp in his criticism of intolerance and dogma, once said, "If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him."

If a guy like Voltaire admitted an inherent need for God, I think he'd be o.k. with us spending a few minutes taking a look at faith, which is required to believe in God in the first place.

Faith is a gift. 

Sometimes we forget that simple premise, upon which everything else about faith rests. We don't find God, as much as God opens us up to the possibility of relationship. Spiritual heavy-weights like Paul (who wrote much of the New Testament) and Martin Luther (who, like Voltaire, challenged the religious establishment of his day) pointed this out. 

Faith is an expression of God's mercy towards us. 

On a bad day, when things don't make sense, I need to remember this. In the middle of a torrential downpour of pain, I need to grab hold of this. During times of long-suffering, I need to cling to this faith to help anchor me.

God loves me. 

That means I should take God's love personally. If I believe that God loves me, because God has given me faith, then it must mean that God is after relationship with me. 

My relationship with God isn't based on feelings, or what is/isn't happening at this moment. 

In fact, my relationship with God isn't the sum total of feelings, at all. It's based on commitment and faith in God's nature. It's this aspect of relationship with God, remembering who God is, that helps keep that foundation of hope and trust alive, no matter what else may or may not be happening around me.

God never promises a stress-free life. 

There are scriptures that point to this reality. Faith in God isn't a spiritual tranquilizer. It doesn't numb us from life's disappointments and pain. But it is a buffer that reminds us that after the storm, we will be stronger. 

Our faith in God should cause us to grow spiritually.

As we experience tough times, as we hold on to our faith, it should cause our faith to be strengthened. The apostle James wrote: "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." We're being cautioned to expect trials, so that we won't be upended by them. James goes on to say that the goal is completeness. And if we don't understand how this works, we can ask God for wisdom, "who will give it to you and will not rebuke you for asking." 

Having doubts doesn't mean God has failed us. 

We don't have to act as if we have life all figured out. When we experience doubt, we can take those doubts to God because God doesn't condemn us for having them. God will ultimately use those doubts to strengthen us. Believing, having faith in God doesn't mean we will never fall. But it does mean God will always be there to pick us up. 

Here's the link to Addie's post: Addie's Post. Addie, thanks, so much, for having the courage to write it! 

So, readers, now it's your turn! Please feel free to leave a reply, what does faith mean to you?

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