Faith Pill
Living by faith would be easier if it were more like a pill and less like birth.
Each morning, I pop a little blue pill that works its magic by making up for the absence of my thyroid. It's quick, easy and painless. Little effort is required, and once it's done, I can check it off my list and get on with life. That's my kind of treatment. No interruption of my plans. No pain.
Childbirth is much different. No pill, no epidural can make up for its drama. It hurts. It lasts a very, very long time. It uncomfortable. Yes, that's an understatement, but there really are no words. It's a whole lot of effort followed by recovery, nursing, sleep deprivation and years of a daily two-steps-forward-three-steps-back dance in the midst of constant change. Just thinking about it makes me tired.
Faith more closely resembles birth than it does the popping of my little blue pill. It's long. Slow. And it hurts. Progress is seldom seen in the moment. I often feel like I'm moving backward rather than forward. And the day after day of more of the same grows tiresome.
I'm holding out for the faith pill. The daily dose that fixes everything without interference. It makes me feel good and costs me little. With a fix like this, I could check faith off of my daily list and get on with life...right?
Except that I read things in Scripture like, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Col. 3:3) Paul wrote to Timothy about "life that is truly life" seemingly pointing to something more than a quick fix. (I Tim. 6:19)
Life without Christ is no life. Faith without Christ is no faith. Without Christ, we have no hope, no future, nothing to live for and no purpose in dying. Life is stripped bare without Him. Faith in Christ makes life rich. Living for an unseen world makes this world bearable, beautiful, even bountiful.
So it's no wonder that Peter urges, "...make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." (2 Pe. 5-7)
It might be two steps forward three steps back. It will hurt. Yet, faith is life. It is rebirth. It is the starting line of all growth. It's not easy. And it's worth it.
Cancel my prescription. Birth is better.
Each morning, I pop a little blue pill that works its magic by making up for the absence of my thyroid. It's quick, easy and painless. Little effort is required, and once it's done, I can check it off my list and get on with life. That's my kind of treatment. No interruption of my plans. No pain.
Childbirth is much different. No pill, no epidural can make up for its drama. It hurts. It lasts a very, very long time. It uncomfortable. Yes, that's an understatement, but there really are no words. It's a whole lot of effort followed by recovery, nursing, sleep deprivation and years of a daily two-steps-forward-three-steps-back dance in the midst of constant change. Just thinking about it makes me tired.
Faith more closely resembles birth than it does the popping of my little blue pill. It's long. Slow. And it hurts. Progress is seldom seen in the moment. I often feel like I'm moving backward rather than forward. And the day after day of more of the same grows tiresome.
I'm holding out for the faith pill. The daily dose that fixes everything without interference. It makes me feel good and costs me little. With a fix like this, I could check faith off of my daily list and get on with life...right?
Except that I read things in Scripture like, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Col. 3:3) Paul wrote to Timothy about "life that is truly life" seemingly pointing to something more than a quick fix. (I Tim. 6:19)
Life without Christ is no life. Faith without Christ is no faith. Without Christ, we have no hope, no future, nothing to live for and no purpose in dying. Life is stripped bare without Him. Faith in Christ makes life rich. Living for an unseen world makes this world bearable, beautiful, even bountiful.
So it's no wonder that Peter urges, "...make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love." (2 Pe. 5-7)
It might be two steps forward three steps back. It will hurt. Yet, faith is life. It is rebirth. It is the starting line of all growth. It's not easy. And it's worth it.
Cancel my prescription. Birth is better.
