Invited into a lifestyle of Faith

One truth that we often tend to forget in our journey of faith is that it is a journey. For many people faith is a profession or a declaration of belief. And it doesn’t necessarily have any bearing beyond that. Having a great Sunday, a good time of prayer, an insight from God’s word is all great and very much part of our journey of faith. But faith is also to be exercised in those moments when it’s hard to put God’s word into practice.

This last week was one such moment when I failed to model this kind of sin-killing, love-choosing faith. Jan and I had a disagreement and were cold to each other for about 2 days. I knew I was called to model love, acceptance and respect – mirror the Kingdom of God so to speak but instead I mirrored a worldly pattern of giving back what I felt I was given. You give me a cold shoulder, I can do that too. How did it affect us? Well, I couldn’t sleep well. I was smiling on the outside, and even did tasks but it lacked the richness of enjoyment, and power that I know I want to feel in life. And during those moments, I’m also more tempted to disconnect from the world by getting lost in my phone, or entertainment. Such things keep is in a pseudo-real state so we don’t have to deal with what’s happening in our lives. So in a way, it only reinforces those worldly patterns that are driven out of fear, anger, or hopelessness.

What I should’ve done was modeled the Kingdom of God rather than mirroring the world. And this happens as I learn to fix my eyes on Jesus. And here we come to the crux of a lifestyle of faith. It is to pay attention, gaze on Jesus. As Paul put it to “contemplate the Lord’s Glory” (2 Cor 3:18) or like James said to “look intently at the law that brings freedom” (James 1:25). The writer of Hebrews too talks about fixing one’s thoughts on Jesus (Heb 3:1) and also to fix one’s eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:2). This isn’t a one-time deal. It is an ongoing journey of walking with Jesus. That’s the life we are invited into by our Heavenly Father.

Jan and I eventually did talk about it and repented of those attitudes. Here’s where faith also plays a pivotal role in enabling us to take our position in Christ even when we mess up. It is from a repentant heart to say that we stand accepted, forgiven, loved and filled with His Spirit only because of what Jesus has accomplished on the cross. This truth, meditating on this truth, enables us to continue the journey with Jesus. Faith in God needn’t be limited to receiving forgiveness, but the purpose of forgiveness is to restore fellowship. And that’s where the Father is waiting having invited us through what Jesus has accomplished on the cross.

What are we waiting for?

#human #Faith #change #mind #love #jesus #identity #lifestyle