the difference

There is a difference between trusting God and denying reality.

I know there have been times when I have denied reality about the situations in my life and they did not produce good results. In fact, they were very detrimental to me, sometimes emotionally and spiritually damaging. To deny reality is a trend in the church. People have taught and are being taught that to have faith in God you must ignore the “facts” around your situation and believe the “truth” which comes from God, supposedly that these things are not as they seem. That God’s word says the opposite about your situation, so you need to believe what God says over what your “facts” say.

And there is an element of truth in this, because God sees us at our greatest potential and calls us to see it as well, but to stick our head in the ground and refuse to see the truth of our situations, whether it is regarding our relationships, our finances, our churches, our families, whatever, is not faith, but denial. God never calls us to denial, but to faith. Faith, in the simplest form, is trust that God will do what he says he will do and believes in us even when we don’t feel worthy of that belief. Faith forces us to look at the situations, the problems in our lives, not ignore them. It gives us the ability to face the problems, because we know we’re not alone and that God will not punish us for failure, but like a loving Daddy, he will pick us up, brush us off and help us through the situation.

Sometimes, the only way out is through. I don’t like that statement, but it’s true. But we will be better on the other side. So, faith isn’t a magical potion to change our lives instantly, but to give us an anchor to hold us through the storm, or war. It is the soldier’s faith that what he left at home is worth fighting for that sustains him in the midst of the battle. It is the point at the other end of the field the farmer sets his eye on as he plows his field that gives him the straight line, not looking at the row he’s plowing. It’s faith that gives us the strength to endure the struggle, because the destination is worth the journey.

Hebrews says that because of the joy that Jesus knew he’d receive, having restored us to relationship with God, that he endured the pain of the cross. It was faith that kept him on the cross. His faith didn’t keep him from the cross, but brought him through it. I don’t like that statement either. Sounds too much like dying to me.

Faith isn’t always fun. Sometimes it’s hard. Today my prayer was “God, I believe, but help my doubt.” I believe he hears me when I pray that. I believe he will help me, even though sometimes I doubt. Let’s get real. A lot of times I doubt. But he knows that too. But he still loves me. He still walks with me. Endures all my complaints and fears and worries. Why? I don’t know, but his word says he does and that it’s because he loves me. That is the most important thing I can believe.

Faith doesn’t deny reality, but faces it with trust in God to bring us through. That’s the difference.