Post 20 - Some of My Beliefs and Treasures Along My Path
I love photographing trees
They are full of life
Post 20
What Do I Hold to?
In the ebb and flow of life, my faith in the Trinity has remained the anchor that keeps me steady. I say 'the Trinity' because I was surprised at the statistics shared in the video in my last post where I learned that many who say they are 'Christian' do not believe in a Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)!
The video caused me to think about what anchors my soul at this time of spiritual wandering.
I have decided that some of us come to a point in our Christian walk where we are able to make the doctrines we've been taught in church play out in our lived experiences. It's not really that difficult--at least not for myself. For me, they are a stabilizing factor in an ever changing world.
But I realize it is very difficult for so many others to figure out where church doctrine fits it their lives. There are many 'anti-Christians' around. They're not just atheists who try to shame us with terms like 'fairy god in the sky', and worse. These may be wounded people or those let down due to other circumstances. So they are on a warpath. They don't want us to hold onto our faith and enjoy it, or so it seems. Many of these sorts of people deeply oppose our faith beliefs, and when they lash out on social media, it's not pretty.
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| Art by Rosalie Garde |
For myself, faith is not confined to the walls of a church or the structured rhythms of Sunday worship services. My faith weaves through the everyday moments of my existence—the quiet prayers whispered during chores or while online reading others' posts. It's in the awe I feel when immersed in nature. My faith forms the moral compass guiding my decisions.
I feel I know many of the character traits of God, and I would be foolish to do life without accessing them for myself. So I choose to nurture my faith--my relationship with God himself.
Do you nurture your faith?
You can hint that I'm a sinner for not holding fast to church attendance if you want, but the true measure of Christian life lies beyond perfect church attendance. It is about a personal and authentic relationship with our Holy Father and his Son Jesus Christ through whom God communicates with the aid of the Holy Spirit.
Since Jesus abides with God in heaven, he has given those who believe on him the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lives within all believers teaching them, inspiring them, and nudging them to do God's will. I won't use this space to expand on the entire role of the Holy Spirit, but I urge you to read about him here.
This perspective on my Christian walk gives me peace especially as I am not currently connected to a specific church. The truth is, church attendance or not, God's presence remains with me. It's his promise.
Matthew 28:20, "I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”
Peace
As I meander this current investigation of what Faith Beyond Tradition means for me, I hold to the values and beliefs about God that don't change. For instance, God is the author of peace. We can access peace from God when we ask for it.
- "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
God brings comfort to those who are downcast or grieving. You don't have to be in a church or attending church to receive his comfort.
Psalm 34:18: "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and saves those whose spirits are crushed."
Life Meaning
We all crave life meaning - no matter our age or life stage. God calls each of us to specific tasks. I ask God to give me a to-do list--small activities that when I complete them, I feel a sense of satisfaction. I need to hear from him so I don't waste time, money, and energy on the wrong things. I pray. I journal. I ask the Holy Spirit to give me nudges. I listen for those nudges. I pay attention. And then I take a step.
In this season of my journey, I find solace in the constancy of God’s love and guidance. When I go out to my gym classes, I pray for God to put a guard over my mouth so I don't say something stupid or hurtful to another.
"Lord, please set a guard over my mouth today.
Help me speak words that bring life, encouragement,
and truth, and hold back anything that
isn't helpful or kind."
At this wilderness juncture, I continue to seek, to trust, and to grow in relationship with our Creator. And while I refer to it as a wilderness, I only do so for the purpose of this blog's flow. The book I based this blog on uses canoe camping to illustrate the twists and turns of the spiritual journey some are on. Thus, the picture of being in a wilderness.
My journey has been a time of learning to let go even more, about trust, hope, and renewing my faith.
Let us hold firmly to the truth that God is always with us, and let that truth inspire us to live each day with hope and courage.
"Now may the Lord of peace Himself give
you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16)(NIV)
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