Constructing Newton’s Bridge

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Isaac Newton, one of the most influential scientists who ever lived, also was a Christian theologian. He once said, “We build too many walls and not enough bridges.” His quote resonates with me because bridges filled the landscape of my childhood.

I spent the first eighteen years of my life growing up in “The City of Bridges”. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, contains more bridges within its city limits than Venice, Italy, with the current number of bridges totaling nearly two thousand. Three major rivers come together at the Point, the location of Pittsburgh’s iconic fountain first built in 1974.  In addition to the presence of rivers, the steep hills and ravines around the city make bridges a necessity for transportation. The early European settlers of Pittsburgh quickly learned that they had to choose between living in isolation or finding creative ways to span the waters and valleys.

People cluster on one of two riverbanks in their approach to relating human reasoning to faith. The first approach, common in many Christian circles in my childhood and college years and persisting to this day, revolves around mistrust of the intellect. Acquiring knowledge, analyzing information, and questioning assumptions become suspect activities. Too much thinking means that you are not listening to your heart; you are out of touch with practical concerns; or you are not truly spiritual.

Many Christians find support for mistrusting the intellect in a variety of Biblical passages. All the way back in Eden, Eve’s temptation included a desire for wisdom and knowledge. In Proverbs 3:5, an often-quoted verse reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” In the New Testament in John 20:29, Jesus said to the doubting Apostle Thomas, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” In his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:27), the Apostle Paul explained, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

Clustered on the second riverbank, we find those who worship the life of the mind above all else. Human reasoning reigns supreme. The standard for judging truth becomes data collected through the human senses and processed by rational thought. Atheists and agnostics wield Occam’s razor to slice away the possibility of revelation, preferring explanations that avoid spirituality. When human reasoning rightfully ends in “I do not know,” those who cluster on this second riverbank feel compelled to stop their search.

Perhaps the two camps of settlers could survive adequately without venturing beyond the limits of their respective riverbanks. Yet I join Isaac Newton and the early settlers of Pittsburgh in the conviction that a richer life waits for those willing to construct a bridge.

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Fork in the Road

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“Sometimes it’s embarrassing to talk to You, to hold a conversation with the only one who sees right through this version of myself I try to hide behind” -Relient K

Yes, I DID just brilliantly quote Relient K. Despite their [for some - unpreferred] punk rock tones the lyrics of certain Relient K songs are extremely deep and can speak to my Christian walk. This particular song “I Am Understood” perfectly depicts a 19 year old version of myself. Maybe you remember a time in your life where you met “the fork in the road” as a young person. Well, I hit mine at age nineteen. I needed to make a very specific decision that I knew would determine what kind of character I would have for the rest of my life. You see… God had called me to a very full life; a life that I would have to dedicate my whole self completely to His service. I have known since I was nine years old that God has called me to full time vocational ministry. However, this dream became a little tainted when I became a teenager. I quickly realized how difficult ministry life would be for myself and my future family (husband and children). So, I planned on making a deal with God. I created a few “terms” that were my conditions for accepting the job for full time ministry! I know… I was blindly arrogant and presumptuous because I was operating out of fear. And yet, God saw right through me and He “let me know I was understood”.

I am a fourth generation pastor’s kid. My parents are exceptional Pastors and always tried their best in keeping my childhood experience as it rightfully should be. Being a PK [Pastor's Kid] is something I am very proud of. However, that also means I saw a side of ministry that most young people do not ever experience. I was exposed to the sacrificial and emotionally draining effects of ministry life. Through some of my PK friends and their families I saw the darkness of ministry failure. I saw so much anger and hurt from other wounded and failed pastors and missionaries. I knew the scary statistics for Pastor’s families. I realized as a young teen that my parent’s had somehow beaten the odds. Would I be so fortunate to replicate their success in my own adult life someday? I was so fearful to release my “terms” because I did not want my future family to struggle financially or even relationally. You’ll laugh when you hear that one of my terms was “I will NOT marry a Pastor under any circumstance”. I wanted to marry someone with a so called “normal” job that could provide a steady source of income who’s schedule was reliably 9am – 5pm. That way I could continue to do ministry myself and not have to worry about making money to provide for a family. I had to be [what I thought was] realistic about life! I thought if I married a Pastor then my children would eventually miss out on something due to our busy ministry schedule. So, I tried living my life on my precious terms. This proved more difficult than I anticipated! I was trying to do ministry uninhibited, but my “terms” kept on getting in the way! I desired to be captivated by Christ and wanted to grow my relationship with Him more and more, but this required full obedience to Him.

Ultimately, I was faced with that proverbial “fork in road”. I had to make a decision to either cling to my terms, or cling to God and trust He would take care of me. Finally, I was tired of the charade. Decision time was unavoidable. I just could not continue running from the full embrace of God’s calling – it became so draining! I couldn’t keep everything together, only God could meet all my needs. Joshua 1:9 says “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

During that decision time I spent so much time in prayer seeking God. As I made changes in my life God began to reveal to me a new set of terms – His promises! He promised to be with me, to meet all my needs, and assured me that He would always have my back. A difficult time of transition became an era of promises! My God had proven faithful to me, yet again. As Relient K sings “You’re the only one who knows [me] yet still loves [me] completely… through the times I’ve faded and you’ve outlined me again; You’ve just patiently waited to bring me back… Your voice has broken my defense. Let me embrace salvation.”

Six years later my life hasn’t been easy, but it’s been beautiful. I have watched God provide in good times and bad. He has delivered to me an amazing husband that I can live out my youth ministry calling with. Can you believe I ended up marrying a Pastor? We make an incredible team – leaving a dent in the kingdom of darkness! I wish there were words that existed to more accurately describe how fulfilling, joyous, and comforting it is be in the perfect will of the Father. I could have had a decent or “good” life on my terms… but now I’m living an EXTRAORINDARY life that is beyond my wildest dreams on His terms. How could I have ever thought my plans were better than God’s plan for me?

“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:3-6

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Stability: Is It for Real?

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I was listening to the radio last week on the way to pick up my children. They were talking about an unstable region in China in which the government had to ‘enforce’ stability using means that are seemingly contradictory to a stable environment. Then the reporter mentioned an interesting statement. She said, “The more stability has to be enforced, the less stable the situation is.” And as I continued to listen to the story, it reminded me of one of my first jobs out of school.

I worked at a biotech company that manufactured surgical sealants. My job was to test the stability of the raw materials and final products. Stability is basically a measurement of how well the product lasts (or doesn’t last) that is used to determine the shelf-life of a product. There were certain conditions in which the samples were to be stored- usually some combination of time and temperature. Analyses would be run to compare the original data of a freshly made product to products that had been stored in a variety of conditions. Sometimes we would purposely increase a certain condition, like the temperature, to force degradation in order to see what by-products were there. If there were results that did not pass the guidelines, then an investigation would be opened to determine where the error occurred- analyst, equipment, or product.

I thought about life as I continued my drive. Maybe we, as humans, aren’t meant to be 100% stable. Maybe we try to force stability in our lives. Maybe God designed us to be a bit “unstable” so we learn dependence on Him, that He is the only one that needs to be in charge, as He is our Designer. Instead of just changing our situation to gain a temporary stability, maybe we should launch our own investigation into the root cause of the instability. There could be things in our lives that need to be discovered that would never be known if we were always in a stable environment. Things that are good- like faith, trust in God, prayer, fasting. Or it could be things that we need to rid ourselves of like anger, bitterness, lack of trust in God.

If we force our own control or stability, then we leave no room for God to work in our lives. If we are constantly manipulating our environment, circumstances, relationships, we are effectively saying to our Designer that we don’t need Him, that our design/control of our lives is better than His. God knows us much better than we do.

Maybe God lets us go through seasons of instability in order to see his power and experience a growth in faith that otherwise would not have been seen.

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Faith Over Fear in Parenting

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As a career nanny who has spent half of my life caring for other people’s children and now has the privilege of caring for my own, the recent New York tragedy resulting in two young and precious children being murdered by their trusted nanny is one I’m still trying to process.

As the headlines shifted blame back and forth to the parents who reportedly didn’t notice minor changes in the nanny’s personality to those who knew the nanny and saw significant changes, yet didn’t report them, there is a push for increased scrutiny of caregivers and more rigorous background screening of them prior to hiring.

Sadly, however, even the best background screening and evidence collected proving that a nanny hasn’t committed a previous horrendous act is no guarantee that she won’t commit one in the future- or even that she hasn’t committed one in the past. Leading parents to believe they do only perpetuates a false sense of security. By their very nature, background screenings are done in hindsight, which is always 20/20.

I can only imagine the questions, doubts and second guesses flooding the parent’s hearts and minds as they grieve the loss of their children.

How could we not have known?

How could we make such a poor choice?

Are we horrible parents?

Is this our fault?

As parents, there are many things we can and do doubt. We may doubt we’re making the right educational choices for our children. We may doubt our abilities to parent in a Godly way. We may doubt our faith and therefore question the validity of passing it onto our children. At times, we may even doubt our parenting is even faith led at all.

While there are many things we can and even should doubt as parents, perhaps a decision to let our child sleepover a friend’s house who we don’t know very well or the ability of our 4-year-old to make consistently logical decisions, there is one thing we need not doubt: that God is always with us (Matthew 28:18-20).

We live in a fallen word, riddled with evil acts, the most horrific kind often the most unpredictable. While it can be tempting to turn to fear-based parenting as a faith-based alternative, doing so offers no peace and no real protection.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

 

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Confident to Grieve

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My phone was ringing at 10:15 at night as I was sitting in my living room with my husband.  The caller ID read that my uncle, with whom I rarely speak, was calling me.  My heart sunk, as I knew that he was about to bring me the news of something tragic concerning my grandmother.  Her health was not the best recently, and I had been expecting that “the phone call” would be coming any day.  I was expecting the worst for my grandmother, but instead, what I heard shook my entire world to the core.

After the initial silent pause, I heard my uncle say, “Steph, your mom is dead.”

“What?”

He had to say it again.  “Your mom is dead.”

“My mom?  MY mom?”  I questioned back with complete disbelief, like he had somehow mistaken who had died.  Clearly, my mom who was just fine a few days ago when I spoke with her on the phone could not be dead.  He had to have meant HIS mom, my grandmother, who had been having health problems.  What do you mean MY mom?

I fell to the ground and began to cry, to weep, to scream out.  My body went numb, and then my heart went numb.  My mind, however, never stopped working.  Immediately questions began to race back and forth.  How, God?  Why, God?  What does this mean, God?  How could You?  Why did You?  What am I supposed to do now?

And then the realization set in for me with every passing second… I am now living in this world without my mother; she is no longer here.

For many days and weeks and even months after this night, I had no idea how to express myself.  There was a mixture of anger at God, and then guilt over feeling this angry at God.  I had no idea how to pray, and reading through whole chapters of the Bible made me feel even more numb than the grief.  My faith was shaken.  How could I express my grief when I felt like I shouldn’t be saying the things I was feeling?

This went on for months, and then the miraculous happened.  I decided to open up one day to Psalm 119.  If I could not read whole portions of Scripture in one sitting any longer, I was going to learn how to meditate on smaller sections and let them work on my grieving soul.  This is exactly what happened.  My brokenness, anger, pain and severe grief was met by the sorrow of David.

“My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!  When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!… My soul melts away for sorry; strengthen me according to your word!”  (Psalm 119:25-26, 28, ESV)

I let go of the scholar within me that was taught how to dissect the authorial intent and figure out the hermeneutical implication of the passage; instead, I sat there and read the words over and over and over again.  I cried them out to God, I wept to Him – and something began to happen.  I realized that this was what true grief is.  The ability to cry to God and tell Him exactly the state of your soul, all the while reminding your soul that it IS His Word that will walk with you and carry you in this journey.

I do not wish for anyone to have the phone call, but the fact remains that we all will receive this call.  When everything feels so numb and dark, know that we can be confident in our grief, because God will answer us.

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Who is the Proverbs 31 Woman?

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I wish we knew her name… but there’s probably a reason we don’t.

In Christian circles, we use the description found in Proverbs 31 as our primary example of “the perfect woman.” Unfortunately, though, we are so intimidated by the passage that we never pursue that goal purposefully. So instead we do with her what we do with so many others – we compare and find ourselves lacking.

She seems to be the unattainable. And if you’re like me – full of big dreams, a strong personality, ample will, and a desire to change the world – this chapter might inspire fear in your heart. You might begin to wonder because the majority of this passage doesn’t sound like it matches the dreams you have for your life. Don’t be indicted by the ways you feel you don’t fit the Proverbs 31 description.

The context of Proverbs 31 is:

1. It was written by a mother to her son (Proverbs 31:1). Thus, it’s not a man’s view of “the perfect woman,” it’s a mother telling her son what kind of attributes to look for in a wife.

2. It’s an acrostic poem. Beginning in Proverbs 31:10, the initial letters of each verse go through the Hebrew alphabet in order naming the characteristics of a godly woman. It’s a poetic expression of how godly wisdom plays out in the life of a woman.

Once you understand this, reading this chapter is far less intimidating, and is, instead, encouraging.

Four Characteristics of an Excellent Woman:

1. She respects God. The author of this proverb paints a picture of a woman who is FOR her husband.  She does him good, not evil, all his days.  She is also FOR her family. She is aware of their needs and is diligent to support, protect, and encourage them. Her horizontal relationship with her husband and family is based on her vertical relationship with God. She remains in close relationship with her God, for without him, she can do nothing (John 15:5).

2. She is others-centered. What she does, she is not just doing for her own gain. What she does is motivated by a desire to be a blessing to others around her. Her life is interwoven with the community around her, and she is spending herself for the benefit of others. She courageously turns her back on independence and selfishness.

3. She is capable. These capabilities go beyond mere abilities. She’s been educated and has cultivated her mind in different ways. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

4. She is influential. Proverbs 31 shows us a woman with great influence. She influences and teaches others with her words – her life gives her a platform to teach others (Proverbs 31:26). Such women are desperately needed to teach and disciple those who are coming up behind them in the church (Titus 2).

Proverbs 31 is a description of wisdom in motion unleashed in the life of a woman who loves God. It is meant to inspire you. Not to frustrate you or condemn you. Christ has become to us, for YOU, the fulfillment of this wisdom from God. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

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A Gift Delivered on Labor Day

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In 17 months, five close family members passed away. During that time my husband and I went through significant job changes.

As we prepared for his employment change I was fighting an upper respiratory infection and found a bump on my neck. I sensed that I needed to tell my primary care physician about it and get an ultrasound test done of my thyroid area.

The night before the ultrasound I attended a women’s event at Mount Hope Christian Center. I prayed, “God, you know what’s going on. Please speak to me.” As I made my way to the altar, a woman placed her hand on my neck and prayed for me. She then moved her hand down to my lower abdomen and continued praying.

After the ultrasound I heard from my physician’s secretary who said, “It looks like an enlarged left side of the thyroid. We need to get you in to see an Endocrinologist. I’ll make a call to schedule an appointment for you.” A couple minutes later the assistant called back and said, “I’ve never been able to get someone in so quickly. There’s an appointment for 2 o’clock this afternoon. I highly recommend you take it.”

That afternoon I saw an Endocrinologist at Lahey Clinic, who reviewed the ultrasound results with me. After further testing, it was determined that surgery was the next step, which had the potential to damage my vocal cords.

When I got back the full pathology report, the growth was not cancerous. However, it did report that I have an autoimmune disease known as Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. According to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is a condition where the body’s immune cells produce antibodies which can damage thyroid cells and cause hypothyroidism when not enough thyroid hormone is being produced. This is the most common thyroid disease in the United States and is seven times more common in women than men.

I was thankful to be cancer-free and have my vocal cords unharmed, but I wondered what was next. Studies have shown that women who have thyroid problems may have trouble conceiving and throughout pregnancy and postpartum. I began questioning, “God, do you intend for me to have children?”

While the thyroid regulates the metabolism, our God is our true regulator. Over one year ago, I had a bump on my neck. A couple months ago, I had a bump on my lower abdomen. Now, I have a healthy baby girl who was born appropriately on Labor Day!

All Things Work Together

During the time of my thyroid journey, I was working for a health and lifestyle TV show in Boston. The segment aired on Better Living with Liz Walker and showed my diagnosis, treatment and acceptance of the condition I now have. I have also shared my story through I am Second, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologist’s Empower Magazine, and other mediums.

Romans 8:28 says all things – the good, the bad, and the ugly – work together for good. If it were not for the pain and suffering I endured, I would not have a new voice to raise thyroid and autoimmune disease awareness. Furthermore, I do not take for granted the precious gift of our new baby daughter.

How have you seen God turn something around for good in your life? What scripture verse(s) did you cling to during that season of trial and questioning God?

*Image courtesy of Kookkai_nak /FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 

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Questions Jesus Asked in His Ministry

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Sometimes people get the false impression that faith means learning the right answers. However, Jesus understood the importance of asking the right questions. Here are a few examples.

Questions of Priorities

The priorities I would write on paper and the priorities my choices write on the hours of my life sometimes begin to differ in the rush of living. A good question slices through the growing hypocrisy. Jesus understood the gap between intentions and actions, asking questions such as:

And why do you worry about clothes? (Matthew 6:28)

So, could you not watch with me one hour? (Matthew 26:40)

Why are you sleeping? (Luke 22:46)

Questions about Emotions

Jesus understood that faith is much more than intellectual assent. He knew that a good question presses beyond mere information to address the emotions driving our choices.

Why are you so afraid? (Mark 4:40)

Why are you crying? (John 20:15)

Does this offend you? (John 6:61)

Questions about Purpose

Jesus knew we are made for more than mere survival. Life is more than eating, sleeping, and working. Everyone has a greater purpose beyond just getting through the day. He asked people questions to help them get their focus beyond their immediate concerns to the larger spiritual truths.

But what about you? Who do you say that I am? (Matthew 16:15)

What do you want me to do for you? (Matthew 20:32)

Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? (Luke 5:22)

Honest answers to good questions grow our faith more than memorizing the right answers ever will.

 

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The Problem of Evil and the Existence of God — Are They Mutually Exclusive?

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If I had to choose my favorite quote from C.S. Lewis, it would be this one: “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

Lewis, perhaps the most prolific Christian author and defender of the faith since the Apostle Paul, understood how critical it was for humans to confront the God question. Even Sigmund Freud, a renowned atheist, called it “the most important question.” Lewis and Freud both devoted their lives to answering the question of God — and they ultimately came to different conclusions.

Freud wrestled with the problem of evil and suffering in the world and never could reconcile their existence with the notion of an all-good, all-powerful Creator. I grew up in a Christian home and have spent most of my career working for Christian organizations, so I know all the “right” answers to these tough questions. But if I’m being honest, there are times when I relate better to Freud than I do to Lewis.

9-11 … cancer … earthquakes … famine … The examples of suffering in the world are as horrific as they are pervasive. If God is omnipotent, why doesn’t He stop it? If He can but won’t, how can He be good? These are not insignificant questions and wrestling with them is intrinsic to the human condition. It has been a part of my journey over the last couple of years as I mature in my own faith.

Are you a Christian struggling with the problem of evil? The first thing you need to know is that you are not alone and you are not wrong for asking these questions. In fact, I believe that any Christian who does not wrestle with this issue is not being honest with himself or herself.

I have found the answer to this difficult issue as I better understood the concept of free will.

Again, I turn to C.S. Lewis to put it in better words than I could. “’God created things which had free will — and free will, though it makes evil possible, is also the only thing that makes possible any love or joy worth having.”

The real story of the Bible is how the abuse of this freedom has caused the suffering in the world and that through God’s grace there is redemption and hope for a better tomorrow.

Did you know C.S. Lewis was an atheist until his early 30s? The story of how he reconciled his disbelief and eventually become a follower of Jesus is a fascinating one, and it has helped me deal with my own doubts. If you’d like to read more about how both Sigmund Freud and C.S. Lewis reached their conclusions about God, I recommend a book by Harvard professor Armand Nicholi, The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life (2002). Or if you’re not a reader, order the PBS documentary of the same name.

Don’t be afraid to question your doubts. God has answers for you.

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Winning in the Twelfth Inning

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How can you not be romantic about baseball? – Billy Beane

Last Saturday, my family had the opportunity to attend a baseball game at Fenway Park. For many years, I worked in a research lab across the street from Fenway, so taking the subway into the city brought back memories. You could not have asked for a more beautiful September afternoon to enjoy a baseball game.

America’s Pastime

Sitting in a good seat directly behind home plate, I quickly understood why baseball earned the appellation “America’s pastime”.  As the vendors came through the stands with hotdogs, lemonade, hot chocolate, and cotton candy, I felt like I was having a picnic with all the other fans. People passed money and napkins down the rows, helping each other. The entire stadium participated in “the wave”, standing with arms thrown in the air just long enough to create a ripple effect.  Everyone enjoyed a party in the stands for many innings as the two teams scored runs.

The Ninth Inning

The atmosphere changed a bit in the final inning. At the bottom of the eighth inning, the Boston Red Sox tied the Baltimore Orioles, 6-6. Everyone focused on the field during the ninth inning, especially me. When the Baltimore Orioles failed to score in the top of the ninth, I grew excited at the possibility of my home team winning this game. What a perfect ending to a perfect day!

Unfortunately for Red Sox fans, the ninth inning ended with the tie still standing. Now the Red Sox had to keep the Baltimore Orioles from scoring in yet another inning. While I grew a little nervous for the Red Sox, I felt I just received a bonus. I would have the chance to enjoy the game longer. In the top of the tenth inning, one player grounded out to third, one flied out to right, and the last player grounded out to second. Relief washed over me! Time to win the game in the bottom of the tenth.

Only Runs Count

The shadow of the stadium grew long across the field, and many fans seated around me headed for home.  In baseball and in life, not everyone sticks around when the game goes into extra innings.  When one player singled to the left, then advanced to second when another player walked, I thought the Red Sox would win the game.  After all, they finally got on base, something the other team failed to do.  But in baseball, only runs count. The next player struck out swinging, and all the hard work was for nothing.

The Green Monster at Fenway Park runs out of room after ten innings, so the entire scoreboard was reset. Inning number eleven would be recorded as inning number one. Even more fans left the stadium. Would the Red Sox be able to keep the Orioles from scoring in yet another inning? The first two Orioles players struck out, and the third grounded out to second. Hope swelled in my heart! However, the Red Sox did not even get on base in the bottom of the eleventh.

Waiting to Win

The Baltimore Orioles, who have been almost unbeatable this season when a game goes into extra innings, were simply waiting for their opportunity to win. Opportunity knocked in the top of the twelfth inning, and the Orioles answered with three runs. The Red Sox could not return the answer in the bottom of the twelfth. I left Fenway disappointed for the loss, but inspired by observing what it takes to win in the twelfth inning.

In life and in our journeys of faith, sometimes the game goes into extra innings. We experience delays and unexpected outcomes. Extra innings can breed doubt. Not all our fans will stand with us, although watching the faithful ones keep cheering delivers great joy. Winning in extra innings requires perseverance and quiet confidence to wait for the right opportunity. Winning in our spiritual lives requires living with unanswered questions, trusting when we cannot understand, and finishing the journey we started. Only runs count. (1 Corinthians 9:24)

* The Boston Red Sox won the game the following day at the top of the ninth inning.

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Faith Leaves Room for Questions

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Have you ever had a serious faith-related question, but were afraid to ask it? Many Christians have their curiosity kick in, while at other times, the way something was explained raises more questions. Do you dare ask it? Do you raise a question that deals with a matter of…faith?

 

I had the privilege of growing up in a family where I could always ask questions, even questions that were related to faith. Admittedly, some of the questions asked made heads turn (no wonder I’m now a Ph.D. student in Theology); other questions led to answers of “I don’t know.” In either situation, this provided the opportunity to read, study, and journey together in a process of discovery. Questions concerning the age of the Earth, the eternal state of those who never hear the Gospel, and from where the spouses of Adam and Eve’s children came all serve as samples of the many questions on the minds of people of faith—questions that many are afraid to ask.

 

Admittedly, some will argue that such questions are a source of weak faith or a lack of genuine faith. I strongly disagree. If anything, these questions stem from a heart seeking to learn more about the God they serve and the world in which they live. Just as I remember being told, “I don’t know.” I also remember, “…but we can study together and see if we can find some answers.” That attitude has aided me in understanding the importance of asking questions. So from where does the fear of some come? Some fear that the Bible (the written standard of their faith) might be proven wrong or that their entire faith is wrong because they come to understand that one thing they believed was incorrect. I can say that my thoughts have changed on some issues, and I find this experience has actually strengthened my faith.

 

I encourage you to ask your questions and grow in your faith. God is big enough for your questions. He isn’t afraid of them; you shouldn’t be either. If you choose to ask some of the “hard” questions of faith and explore them with others, there is no guarantee or requirement that you all come to the exact same conclusion. That is okay. The beauty of faith is that we can have unity on the essentials, liberty on the non-essentials, and love in all things. Remember to remain humble on this journey and be open to the thoughts of others.

As a final note, be warned that there are some things for which you will not obtain a solid answer. Use these opportunities to embrace the mystery of the God of the universe. I mean, if you could really figure out everything concerning God—an omnipotent, eternal being—he wouldn’t really be God, now would he?

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  • God is big enough for your questions. He isn’t afraid of them; you shouldn’t be either.  Buffer
  • The beauty of faith is that we can have unity on the essentials, liberty on the non-essentials, and...  Buffer
  • If you could really figure out everything concerning God—an omnipotent, eternal being—he...  Buffer