Failing Faith

Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT

The first I think of, is how crazy important this is in life. Whether it be physically, mentally, spiritually, etc. Its weird how things happen when I don't expect it. Its like one of those movies, where the men aren't ready, the audiences knows something is about to happen. Or when the hero is ready because he's been up all night waiting for it. It's like showing up for a gig with nothing, no gear, nothing. Can I work without my tools? I was thinking the other day about sin. About the different types of ways things creep in. I narrowed it down to two different things. The unexpected failures, and the moments when I look to fail. Then why do I say failure? That's what sin makes me feel like. A failure full of shame and stupidity. I can't but think of our economy and how it has influences so many. Then I'm reminded of George Bailey from Its a wonderful life. He was caught off guard on christmas eve when his uncle misplaced $8000. He was excited about his brother coming home after winning the medal of honor, and then he got hit by this missing money. This made him flip his hood. that's a lot of money still. He got to the point of taking his own life. He really got hit hard. How many times have I been hit hard to a point of that kind of dispair? Really, never. I'm too positive. But this last October and November brought me to a realization that I had let my guard down. I thought I was on guard, good in faith and all that. But I wasn't. I couldn't even blog I found. I had put my full trust in man without knowing it. My wife did and I never heard the end of it.

Hits me, George was always fighting potter about finances. But one thing he had which potter didn't have was friends. The whole point of his business was helping people out. I'm not meant to stand guard alone or this scripture wouldn't have been written. God will put things in my path that will be an open door to put my guard up. He doesn't want me to be paranoid around every corner, but to let Him live in me. George had to be reminded of that too. He had to be reminded that he wasn't alone. I get trapped thinking that I can have faith in my own planning and then put God on the shelf for later. Its a process that I grow in, that I fight through, and that I question.