BEYOND THE LEDGE OF KNOWN

Faith is such a difficult challenge to the senses. To see with the soul instead of the eyes sounds easy, but it really isn’t. The unknown will always make such sight a problem.

Plus there are varying degrees of things being unknown. Our greatest tests of what we truly have faith in comes when there is something at risk.

I can certainly trust God for a promise from his word when it doesn’t have any consequences that will affect my life. However that doesn’t mean I will necessarily get too concerned if I don’t experience the fulfillment of the promise when I have nothing to lose.

On the other hand if my health or survival are at risk the level of stress goes up and it is so easy to have the mind get distracted by so many echoes of “what if.” If they become too loud from a proclivity towards expecting the worse it can truly wither our flowers of faith.

So does that mean only optimists can truly have faith? If that were true then I think a number of very well known biblical characters wouldn’t be among the redeemed. There were several episodes with the Lord’s disciples when their comments didn’t ring out with confidence. Yet God in his grace was merciful to them just the same.

Which is something for me that is so uplifting and a source of joy. There is no disgrace in being human. And for some that means they will always be prone to look at the glass as half empty. What is important is the need to accept that is part of one’s nature and be willing to allow the Lord’s spirit to give one strength in the midst of one’s doubts. It is if understood another chance to trust God.

Sadly there are times when it seems that out of fear of what others think we are afraid to admit our doubts and the times we don’t trust the Lord. It is as if we somehow will have more faith if we don’t accept ourselves for our weakness in the ability to trust.

Yet, there is no way for God to ever truly help us to grow in out willingness to trust him if we don’t face the truth about out shortcomings in that sense. It is like so many things a willingness to come to the Lord in times of failure rather than hide behind some mask of pretense and false spirituality.

For some the regretful sense of insecurity will always inhibit them from flying by wings of faith. Regrettably in some cases they can even be active in churches and have cultivated an image of a mature Christian. The whole time having allowed their need to battle a sense of insecurity cloud their judgment and willingness to truly obey God’s desire for their lives.

The Lord will guide us with our weaknesses towards eternity if we are willing to do so by his means. Or we can simply retreat to the sanctuary of our own delusions never discovering the greater blessing that can only come through facing what God sees in our heart’s mirror.