Wednesday, January 14, 2009

"I'm Afraid that I'm Losing My Faith!"

I am reminded of an event that occurred in a military chapel years ago.

The chaplain was having a prayer request time at the end of the service. During this prayer request time a woman raised her hand and complained that she was losing her faith and that she was worried about all her doubt. She was afraid of all the sin that she was committing and it had really upset her that she was falling away. She was afraid that she was becoming lost.

The chaplain replied, "We will pray for you, but the fact that losing faith bothers you is a good sign. If you did not have faith, you would not care about it at all. You are a sinner and that really bothers you. God be praised!" He then directed her to hold fast to the cross. He proceeded to give instruction from the pulpit that Christ did not come to be with the healthy, but treat the sick.

He was right. Would an unbeliever give a flip about not having faith? Would a hell-bound sinner care about eternal life and his position with God? Of course not! Because those feelings and convictions come from the Holy Spirit alone.

And where you find the Holy Spirit, you find Christ. And where you find Christ, there is forgiveness and salvation.

The Devil hates that. He must destroy it. This is why he attacks your confidence with lies and false arguements. He reminds you that you are weak and inadequate and suggests that that fact somehow matters to God. Of course you are weak and inadequate... that's why Christ died for you in the first place and continues to be your advocate! Does your inability to be holy matter in the slightest? No. Faith and salvation are unwarrented gifts.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great post!

I'll print it out and tape it on the bathroom mirror, That guy in the miroe ought read it every day.