A MAJOR ROADBLOCK TO FAITH IN GOD

Why do so many appear to have little interest in God?

Dependent upon my own assumed goodness, my earlier years had no need for God nor church-goers who were often poor examples of a new life.  The flaw, however, wasn't that I could point to the flawed.  It was that I refused to point to and deal with myself.

I was trying to do life on my own.  And....and I wasn't very good at it.

A major roadblock to faith in God is not the hypocrisy of others, the confusion in trying to read the Bible, nor is it the sheer weirdness of believing in the invisible.  It is that our egos (especially of men) are most hesitant to walk into any arena where we don't have substantial control.

We insist on grooming an image that comes out looking good.  But it won't bring fulfillment.  Thus so many, even of fame, live so depressed and burdened over so many things.

This grieves me.

Wonderful, great, and awesome people are moving about in life with the appearance of success in many forms; yet, are nothing but empty shells on the inside.  No one knows it better than the individual trying to put up the front.  This is wearying; so weighty to the heart.

The spirit of a person is very real.  We say things like, He is really down these days, meaning the spirit part of him (which is mega-important) is injured.  On the other hand, it can also be heard, She is soaring as if she won the lottery, which indicates her spirits are high.  Therefore, each person experiences the constant movement of the inner-man moment by moment.

A major roadblock, however, is that our protective and controlling egos are hesitant to go public with our faith in God because we might appear foolish.  We would rather play it safe and be accepted by our peers (who are also cowards in the same region) than to leap into the best spiritual life on earth; even if we do make a few mistakes along the way.

This has to be noted because real men and women aren't getting to lead the lives they crave because they are afraid.  They are afraid some will mock them should they speak of a new life in Jesus.  Isn't this rather grade-schoolish?

Think about the absurdity; macho men can't proclaim faith in God because they are fearful?

I don't know of many who favor moving into a zone totally out of their comfort.  Yet, we do it all of the time; go to the dentist, enter into college, build a family, start a business...so many things that scare us in the initial start.  God, faith, and church are no different.  We enter all of those other things, so why not God?

Somewhere along the way each of us has to make a decision to surrender our pride and learn of God.  We cannot self-help ourselves into effective spiritual life; otherwise, we would have done so years ago.

Jesus is the icon of public bravery and power.  He died on the cross to become guilty for each of our sins.  If he could do that in public shame, surely we can admit we know him, like him, love him, and are willing to risk our reputations if such would give others stability and hope.

Society isn't hurting first because of unemployment or broken relationships.  No communities are in dreaded discouragement because men and women aren't alive in the center.  Trying to impress so many, we pull into our garages of an evening feeling whipped.

You and I can change this.  New life and hope are found in Jesus.  If ever I can be of encouragement to you, email me at trush@memorialdrive.org.  Together, we can discuss a hope that God wishes all to possess.