Faith is weird, absurd, strange, yet beautiful, wonderful, and fulfilling. It’s too much to put into a simple explanation. Faith is one decision to follow Jesus, then a lifetime of learning and trusting in the God of the universe. Throughout our life, we will be overwhelmed by the goodness of God, even in the tough times-we will know God is with us.
Our image of God is created by our life experiences more often than what scripture reveals. We define God by our experience with our earthly father, religious experiences, and teaching, as well as our own imagination. If you had a difficult or non-existent relationship with your earthly father, it impacts your faith. How do you define God? How would you describe God?
“The difference between expectation and reality is misery”.
Faith is expectation-what you hope for. The biggest obstacle in our faith journey is our expectation of who God is. We conjure up God in our image and then we are miserable when that expectation-mainly God will do what we want- is met with reality-and it’s not what we want. What expectations do you have of God? Have you been disappointed with God?
God is always greater than you imagine and loves you beyond your ability to comprehend. A relationship with God and knowing who God is begins with reading and studying scripture, alone and in community, daily, weekly, and for a lifetime. Be curious about God- through prayer, through serving, and conversations with other curious folks.
If you struggle with wounds from the past or are currently experiencing overwhelming challenges in life, it can feel like He is not any help at all. However, Jesus is able to carry your hurt and pain. Ask Jesus to help you carry the burden, to reveal what step to take, and reach out to someone to share the struggle. You are not the only one that feels this way. Not one person has it all figured out, and as you connect and share your questions and struggles, God will provide.
As you discover the boundless love of God for you and the limitless power available to you through the Holy Spirit, your faith will grow! Jesus wants us to live in our faith-overwhelmed and amazed! Thankfully, it’s all too much!
