Uncertain Faith and Its Rewards

It was our first trip with the truck and fifth wheel trailer, the longest of either we had ever owned. The road into Wells Gray Park was decent so far. Twisty and hilly with several potholes, but as long as my husband kept our speed down, it was fine. Then we saw The Bridge. We come down a steep hill and around a sharp bend, and when I saw what we had to cross, I gasped. And said some less-than-stellar words. One narrow lane, with scrapes along both sides testifying to just how narrow, wooden planks, and it spanned a section of river that boiled so high, it looked as though it wanted to grab whoever dared to cross, much like a troll from a children’s fairy tale.

There was no room to turn around, and besides, our campsite was beyond this abyss. We weren’t sure if we could trust the bridge to withstand the weight of our unit, but we knew others had crossed safely. At least there were no trailers visible downstream! So my husband geared down and proceeded. I don’t think I breathed until we were safely across. The relief I felt as we regained terra firma burst out, “Thank You, Lord!”

We ended up crossing that bridge three more times. Twice as we took in the amazing sights and once as we ended our time there. Our faith in that bridge was terribly uncertain, but it wasn’t our faith that held us. It was the bridge.

Now I look back at my anxiety and consider the wondrous sights we would have missed, the hikes we took together, and the enjoyment of God’s amazing creation. And I wonder how many marvelous things I have missed throughout my life because the uncertainty of my faith stopped me. I tend to want to know how things will turn out. If I have doubts, I’d rather stay put.

The Bridge of Wells Gray showed me that uncertain faith, when acted upon, is real faith. We cannot always be comfortable on the roads God leads us onto, but we can trust Him. He will not fail.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5,6)

When I'm feeling low, I'm an easy target for the devil to attack with thoughts of my past rebellious moments and failures of every kind. He's not called The Accuser for nothing, after all. There have even been times when I've been burdened with the guilt of things I did as a child. Now, I know I've been forgiven - that's a promise I count on every day.

But guilt still plagues me. It can weigh me down, darken my outlook, enfeeble me, and keep me from living victoriously.

That's why I was thrilled to find this nugget in Isaiah 44, verse 22, Jehovah speaking through the prophet:
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.
Return to me, for I have redeemed you.

Isn't that a beautiful pciture? Because Jesus Christ paid the penalty in full, God has swept away our sins - gone! Just like the fog in the photo above, which was gone within minutes, our failings are nothing more than a misty memory, one that can do no more harm. We are redeemed! When we are attacked by the Accuser, we can run to the open arms of our heavenly Father, as bright as a cloud-free sky.

 And that's a reason to rejoice.

What do you think? Am I alone in this, or do you suffer attacks through feelings of guilt? What do you do about it? Let's share!

What scares you? Thunderstorms? Financial insecurity? Illness in yourself or a loved one? Spiders? (Yuck!)

Just like the main character is "Melody's Song," I tend to worry. There are many things that scare me, threats of almost any kind. And when I worry, I feel guilty for my lack of faith.

Lately, though, I've been wondering if this tendency isn't actually a gift. When fears push me to run to my Father's arms, that's a good thing. Fear is what I feel; faith is what I know: the God who loves me enough to sacrifice His only Son for my sake is also mighty enough to trust with every circumstance.

I wish I could say I always remember that, but it's just not the case. Often fear inverts me so that all I can see are the dire possibilities in my vivid imagination. Learning to trust God completely is a journey, and for me, probably a life-long path.

How about you? How do worries and fears affect you and your faith? Can fear be positive? Or is it always negative? Let's talk about it!