Are you struggling, or defiant?

 

 

We will soon be entering the season of invitations.  Weddings and graduations will quickly be upon us.

Many people struggle with various events, having to decide whether they can attend, or even want to attend.  Should I go?  Must I go?  What if I do? What if I don't?

Some of you, however, may be among the defiant. You've made up your mind without so much as giving it a second thought. You're simply not going.  You have your reasons, and you've made your decision.  There's no changing your mind.

When it comes to faith, we, too, can fall into either of these two categories.  I was listening to a podcast the other day that talked about the difference between defiance and struggling.

Are you defiant against faith, or are you struggling to understand and believe?

In matters of faith, it is better to be in the struggle, where you wonder about things and keep the door open to listen.

Those who are in defiance--while not necessarily lost--can be harder to reach.

Do you resist believing in the existence of God or some other aspect of faith?  If so, I encourage you to move yourself into the "struggling" category.

You can do this by considering that you may have erred along the way in your reasoning.  And since we are all human, that is a real possibility, no matter what we are talking about.

And as they mentioned on the podcast, faith cannot be forced on anyone, so the only chance you have of moving yourself from defiance to struggling, is by your choice.

Here's the thing.  You have nothing, absolutely nothing to lose by opening yourself up to the possibility that you have more to learn.  Why not make it your mission to investigate this idea of God and faith more deeply, just to see, just in case you got it wrong?  

Be willing to listen to people of faith.  It's possible they may know something you don't!

Will it be challenging?  Yes, of course.  But it will keep you from getting stuck.

And if you feel that you have already done your due diligence in investigating all of this, and are still convinced that God doesn't exist (or whatever), keep digging, because it is far better to be struggling than defiant.

Plus, something we don't often consider, is that it is highly likely that you are in a different place today than you were when you cemented your feet in a foundation of defiance.

Surely you have grown and changed over the years.  Learning about God's love and mercy will look different to you today than it has before.  You are wiser today.  You've had life experiences that will help you process faith differently.

But keep in mind, God is not going to force himself on you. Plus, you have nothing to lose (and everything to gain!) by allowing him in and asking him to show you what you are missing.

Janet Cassidy
janetcassidy.com
https://www.facebook.com/reflectionsinfaith/
https://www.youtube.com/@janetcassidy