Give up, dear Christian

As a pastor, I sometimes can get lost in the pride of my flesh by trying to persuade people through my own way of speaking to give their life to Jesus. I can also say that it is almost instantaneous that after I begin to well up with such pride that the Holy Spirit convicts me and reminds me that I am not the Grower, but simply the planter and waterer, which is nothing (1 Corinthians 3:7).

I, as many other Christians I am sure do, try to encourage people as well in their faith. This means not only believing in what you may not see, but sometimes not believing in what you do see in front of you. Life will throw things at you and the devil is a master at deception. So, when I think of deception, I think of something being falsely portrayed. We can so easily think because our marriage is not what it used to be that we are destined for divorce, an illness that has come on us or a loved one means it is death is inevitable, or even a loss of job means poverty and despair for you and your family.

Another kind of faith, call it a 3rd variation of it, is what I see as a resignation faith. This kind of faith, in my opinion, more so encompasses the former 2 kinds and is the kind of faith the Lord calls for his followers to have. It is a faith that is rooted in hope and trust in Him. It is the kind of faith that causes a follower to yell in the midst of heartache and pain, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him" (Job 13:15).

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