Saturday, 11 August 2012
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What Do I Really Believe?
Sometimes someone will ask me: “Mark what is it you really believe?"
It is easy to say most of the time what I put my faith in. However it is how I live that so-called faith that lets me and others know what I believe truly. Or if I can’t always live what I believe, then I strive. What if there is only a profession of faith, but no living it, nor striving either? Striving keeps me humble; it lets me see the need for grace and mercy. I come face to face with my innards and it is not always a pleasant sight.
Humility, being based on truth, rooted in human failure and struggle can lead me to deep compassion for all. When this is forgotten I can then become harsh and demanding, asking from others what I am incapable of accomplishing myself. I am not called to judge others, not their heart, their soul, nor their worth. For in my judgments I perhaps find the image of my own soul, untouched by the grace of failure; leading to self knowledge, empathy and compassion.
It is in my striving, my trust in mercy, in the gift of infinite love, that I slowly learn to trust and love God and others at an ever deeper level. Dying to self is the work of grace; all I need to do is to take one step at a time in faith, love and trust.
Easy? Of course not; anything worthwhile takes time, patience, openness and effort. Each time I choose to trust and have faith, it comes from a deeper place, leading to healing ever more comprehensive, bringing finally to completion. Grace is an invitation; we all receive it I believe and we each respond in ways only seen by God.
What do you really believe? How do you strive to live out your faith each day?
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markdohle - Name: markdohle
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
- About Me: I am a Roman Catholic, who seeks to ever deepen my love of Jesus Christ.
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Comments (4)
I like what you have to say. I don't have a specified faith at this point, but I do see where the human race is a folly. That in turn is probably my folly. It's hard for me to believe in the God of the Bible because I see so many who claim to be Christians literally lying to my face. I lie sometimes too, but if one is going to be a Christian, they shouldn't. I feel like I can't be one because everyone else that I come in contact with that asserts themselves as one falls short just as much as I do. I know that the Bible says don't judge, but I can't help it. I need a role model if I'm going to follow a faith, not a disappointment. I guess it makes me just as wrong as them. I do want something to believe in, but with the way that this world is, it is very hard for me not to tell God off every day. I'm getting better with my anger, but I will be the first to readily admit that I used to cuss him out every day because of how bad my life was. I didn't understand why I had to go through all of the abuse that I had on top of a psychotic disorder. I felt betrayed by everyone at that time. I don't know if I could ever be forgiven, but if there are people out there who can follow your faith and live the way the Bible teaches, God bless. I will admire them.
@supernaturalgreatness@xanga - Thank you for your honest response. However judging the christian path by the failures of its followers does not seem real to me. It is about Jesus Christ who came for sinners. When you read the gospel you see from the get go how rough and messed the twelve were, also in the letters of St. Paul, the same, lots of problems. That does not take away from the reality of Jesus Christ and his Lordship. If you bye that, then you would have to leave the United States because of its faliures to live up to its ideals, perhaps family, since I am sure there are many failures. No we are all in the same boat, and at times people are at a stage in their life when they may act out in ways not helpful for an outsider to see. Also it is the broken who see their need for Christ, many have back grounds wherein it will take decades for the life and love of Jesus Christ to slowly bring them to maturity.....God is paitient, people are not, me included. Please seek Christ on his own merits. A good book is titles "Reasons for God" http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/reason-for-god-timothy-keller/1102049567?r=1&ean=9781594483493&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=R&utm_source=google&utm_term=+reason%20+for%20+god%20+book&cm_mmc=google-_-R-_-Reason+For+God-_-%2BReason+%2BFor+%2BGod+%2Bbook&imkwid=25617941 it is well worth the read, even if it does not convince you.
Peace
mark
Thanks. I guess if I am ever going to start praying again, I should pray for those who are "immature" or something.