christian@topaz.UUCP (03/11/87)
Hi, 3/10/87 Mike Huybensz' followup shows me a common misunderstanding about what faith is. Faith is believing in what you can't see, it is your hope for the future. My faith in God is my hope for a future of eternity with Him and my loved ones after I die; and this faith is kept alive by the personal love I experience coming from God to me personally only *as* I believe in Him and His love for me. It's a Catch-22: I first believe in God's love for me, before I can receive it and experience it, which helps me believe in Him and His love. No different from human relationships: until you believe someone loves you, they could stand on their heads pleading with you to receive their love, but to no end. Only after you've decided you want that person's love, and you believe that what they say about their loving you is true, then, and only then, can you receive that love and experience it. Someone who has made the choice not to receive God's love for them, has closed their eyes and ears to it, making it impossible for him or her to see or feel God's love for them. So when they see others share His love, and experience God's love, it makes absolutely no sense to them. It is a `stumbling block' in a very real sense. Faith is taking God at His word, pure and simple. It is belief in the unseen future that God promises us; it is belief in the love that meant death by crucifiction over 2000 years ago by a man who called Himself God's only Son; it means trying, failing and trying again to live our lives after the model set down by this man. Faith is a tool used to hold onto the hope for the future which depends on faith in the man-God who made the promises that gives the hope. Like I said, it's a Catch-22. God's Catch-22 leads to more love: the more you believe in His love for you, the more you hope for a future eternity of loving Him and being loved by Him. The greater the hope, the greater the joy and the strength to make it thru life. The greater the love. Is my faith perfect - no; but it is getting stronger. My wife has a simple and beautiful faith that teaches me so much. I'm an engineer, 9 years of college, 14 years of experience in my profession. I'm the type who wants answers, I don't like open ends, unanswered `Why is it this way ... ? When something goes wrong, my first response is often anger, mainly anger with whoever or whatever is wrong, and anger with God for not fixing it. My wife comes from a family that didn't have religion or faith or both. Both of her parents are alcoholics. She has 5 brothers and sisters: 5 divorces in her family, counting her parents, and none are repeats by any one person. When she decided to go to nursing school, she borrowed money from her parents. When she graduated, her mom said she didn't think she'd make it. Her dad wanted his money back. She doesn't blame God for all this. She says `Things happen', and `How do you know God isn't working in the situation to make things better, and protecting us from far worse'. She searched for God - and found Him. No one's faith is perfect; but it is perfect for them. With belief in God, He can and does perfect our faith; and only He can, but only thru our faith. Two big questions are: "Do I want to believe in God, and in a love the Scripture and others say He has for me?" and "What is my hope for the future?" God Bless, Mike Andrews (PTL)