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======Difficulties ...======
Thursday, August 20, 2009. We are talking about
challenges of faith. Today we want to talk about difficult
situations of life. Personal difficulties can be a
challenge to our faith.
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We might face personal difficulties on various levels. Some
people are hit by some illness. That is a classical challenge.
Others have problems with other people - without being
responsible for it by bad behavior. There are many problems
in the current economic climate - economic problems have
always been a problem we face occasionally. The economic
system of every nation has strengths and weaknesses, and
sometimes we are affected by it personally. If you try to
sell a house which you bought some years ago, but prices
have fallen sharply, then you are in trouble. All the
personal trouble can be a challenge for our faith. The
futile search for employment can be a huge challenge. What
is the purpose for my life? What am I good for? Why does
no one want me to work for them?
Faith in the light of personal challenges is one of the
main topics of the Old Testament. People like David, Josef,
Moses and many more had similar problems. Between strong
heights and deep valleys of life they had to find their
path of faith. This is not limited to the Old Testament.
The young Christian church was persecuted and scattered.
The apostles have been put into prison. Christians and
people of faith had to deal with difficult personal
situations ever since.
It is not the purpose of faith to generate an easy life
for us. God has much better ideas for our life. He wants
us to get to know what "mercy" means. He wants us to
explore "love". He wants us to learn "patience". He has
the goal that we get to know "forgiveness" in a very
deep and far reaching sense. All this takes place in the
middle of a big mess, between conflicting forces, in
a world where many do not know God's truth, reliability
and dedication. Again, as for all other challenges,
the challenges of personal difficulties can strengthen
and deepen our faith. Our faith needs to be more than
faith for the sunny days. It should be strong also when
the rain and storm comes. It cannot be called sincere
if it is not tested in a selection of the difficulties
which all our fathers in faith had to encounter.
[R.W.E.P., jesusnetwork.eu]
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