Faith and Doubt

I wrote this in response to someone that was struggling spiritually.

Personally speaking, I "feel ya bro". I've had pretty much unshakeable faith since I was 20, or so I thought. I have never, since my awakening, once doubted the reality of God, the efficacy of His wisdom, or the surety of his love but, as the scripture teaches: the fining pot for silver, the furnace for gold but the Lord tries the heart of men. Experience has taught me that when the Father tests you, he'll bring you to breaking point. But if you can suffer it, out of the destruction comes resurrection and renewal.

I remember breaking down one night, after years of struggling with a personal issue, bawling my eyes out and, for the first time in my life, I really questioned the Father's love. I was shocked at myself and more than a little disgusted with my childishness and weakness.
Eventually, I realised that walking in this veil of tears is no easy task. Walking by faith, faith in the inevitable victory of truth, beauty and goodness, of faith in righteousness, mercy, tolerance, and forgiveness in a world that seems so terminally afflicted with corruption, is no mean feat.

I found it hard to believe that one could know God and life could still be so hard! For me, the contemplation of the Father and divine realities had always been a font of strength. However, years of bitter experience had made me weak; I guess. Or maybe I was just a naive "fair weather faith-er", it's 'easy' believe when things are going your way but it is challenging when everything you touch turns to shit.

I have learned to charge up most of my pain and heartache to my twisted vision of life and my limited understanding of reality and abandoned the blasphemous notion that the God of Love was indulging in His masochistic inclinations. As Paul said, "we perceive as through a glass, darkly". As a woman in the pain of childbirth reaches out for comfort, so when the soul is tried do we reach for the consolation of the Almighty. Indeed, how easy are our prayers when they are not carrying the weight of the world and, oh, how fervent when we must endure trials?

As I pondered the seeming injustices of life, my mind turned to the Son of Man and I realised that even Jesus wept. That, to me, is one of his unnoticed miracles - he wept: "he was in all points afflicted like as we are" but nothing, no suffering, no injustice, no cruelty could cause him to surrender his faith in the goodness and wisdom of the Father's way.

He was kind to the unkind, even with the unworthy. He was gentle, tolerant and forgiving even with the cruel, intolerant, and vengeful. His faith in righteousness and goodness was invincible and in this absolute faith he had the "peace that surpasses all understanding". The world laughed at him and called him a fool but he commended his soul to His Father's judgment. They heaped scorn on his ideals but his response was to pray for them.

Following Jesus is not a path of ease, it's a sure pathway to struggle but in these he walks with us; indeed, he leads the way.

Bruce Lee once taught, "don't pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one." Scripture teaches that the worst affliction is never to have been afflicted. While the world has no respect for one that has never experienced difficulties. The only people we admire are those that have overcome great trials and yet still remain sweet.

Please, I call you to faith! Don't allow momentary weakness to dupe you into parting with all the dignity and respect you have acquired over the years, which you have so successfully forged out of your firey struggles with the perplexing delusions born of our material existence.

Victory is yours by faith and grace, and not by any great effort on your part. The Father and your unseen angelic brethren fight for you with a passion and means that are beyond your imagining. God is good to heal the broken hearted. Doubt not, believe only. Have faith. You will overcome.

My apologies if this is too preachy.
Life is hard. The guy on the Cross knows that, but even that injustice could not dull the Master's love of mercy or his willingness to reach out to those in need. He would never allowed the injustices he suffered to serve as an excuse to visit injustice upon others. He was a breaker of chains! He invites us to follow him. He invites us into the dignity of divine sonship, thereafter will all things needful be added.