Out of the four things Jesus asked of his disciples that we talked about today: hearing Him, turning to Him, trusting Him, and following Him, I would have to say trusting God with all of me is the hardest to do. In fact, I think we all may struggle with that.
Picture our faith in God as a scale in a bathroom. To truly meet the four things discussed today we must be able to stand with two feet on the scale; not one foot or half our weight but all of us. We must trust God with all our weight which is the culmination of our entire being.
Can we ever fully step into the scale of faith? Are we capable of relinquishing control in our minds to put it all on God? I can put on God the need I have for control about the things I truly can’t control. I can’t control the speed of the car in front of me so I learned, through His grace, to stop letting it bother me. Same can be said of how fast the line is moving at the store or bank, and roll with it and being peaceful while some squirm. Does that mean I have put my need for control on God? Or have I simply put my impatience on Him?
Control is insidious because it stems from fear. Fear is the one thing we can’t rationalize and therefore we try to position it away from us. In doing this we show our comforts as strengths, in the hope of overshadowing our fears in the aggregate. Strong battlements do nothing to fix the hole in the middle, they just protect and hide the hole; in turn clouding the whole of who we are.
So what can we do as a faith community that will help to place our full weight on the scales, fear and all? If I had that answer I would love to let you know but alas I do not. I know for myself, recognizing my fears and finding the source of the fears through prayer has helped me but in a way it only helps me and not others who suffer and think they are alone.
Maybe God has placed us in this community so we can realize we are not alone. Maybe God has asked us to share with each other and grow as a community in love and discipleship. Maybe we are incapable of standing on the scale of faith as individuals but as a community, through communication and openness, we can stand strong on the scale with two feet and no crutch.
[...] http://poeticindifference.wordpress.com/2012/08/12/the-scales-of-faith/ Share this:ShareFacebookDiggEmailPrintTwitterLike this:LikeBe the first to like this. This entry was posted in Sunday Morning Respnse and tagged Bible, christ, christian, Christianity, christians, church, culture, disableme, evangelical, evangelicals, evangelism, Faith, fear, God, gospel, grace, growth, humility, Jesus, Judgmental, life, love, post-modern, Religion, spiritual formation, spirituality, theology, truth. [...]
Great post. I think that “we” are the body of Christ. I, or you alone, are not. We, as a community, should be the body of Christ in all that we do…whether as a mill worker, a police officer, a teacher, a businessperson, or simply as a community member. In order to be the body, however, I feel that we need to be real with each other and break down the walls of self. Your post made me think of a song by Casting Crowns…
“Stained Glass Masquerade”
Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small
Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade
Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage
The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart
But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be
Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay
Thank you for sharing that song. I have never heard it but the words alone are a powerful poem. I will have to give it a listen. Thank you