Staying In The Faith

 

        As children, we interpret events based on our level of understanding, the environment we live in, and often our emotions. The same events that sent us in a ‘tizzy’ as a young person, would be viewed completely different if it happened as a teenager, or an adult.  

If a child was to freeze on stage in front of their third grade class during a program and his mom scolded him on the way home for ‘humiliating’ her (it was her child after all and what the child does is a reflection of mom), the reaction of the child may be “I’m a bad, stupid kid.”

As a teenager, the same incident would be likely be, “I tried. I messed up and I’ll never do that again.  I embarrassed, myself and Mom!”

An adult view of the same incident, (the adult child on stage, freezing in a local play).  “Mom has perfection and shame issues.  I did the best I could, and mom couldn’t see it.  I wish things had been better, but I guess she did the best she could at the time.”

It’s what you bring to the situation that develops your reaction.  In every case, it was a reflection of not one, but both participants.  When we develop habits of downgrading ourselves because of a believed failure, we tend to nurture those feeling into adulthood.  It has a negative impact on relationships.

Being unable to accept our faults or shortcomings is even relevant when we talk about our relationship with The Father.  We don’t believe we are good enough to be accepted into the Faith.   It’s hard to believe that anyone, even God can love us when we view ourselves as ‘unlovable.’  Because of this, there are those who harden their hearts toward God.  Their minds, souls and hearts are clouded with gray images of being unworthy of any kind of acceptance.

Even for those who have accepted Christ as Savior, sometimes have a hard time holding on to the assurance and belief that when we mess up, God can forgive us.  It hinders our ability to be faithful, putting our thought process in a type of fog.  Some even become so confused, they turn their backs on a loving Savior.  

We are admonished in scripture not to do this.  We are told to remain faithful, even when things get hard.  God was angry with the Israelites during their years in the Wilderness because they lost their faith, and ended losing the right to enter into the Promised Land.  But when the time was right, the ‘door was opened.’

We have the Holy Spirit now and He helps us hold on, on those days when we feel like we’ve messed up.  And we also have our church family and other Believers with whom we can spend time, discuss our failure and encourage us to repent, rather than giving up.  

There are days most of us, when things get too much, have a melt down and cry, scream, sulk, get angry, or have another mode of working through it.  The best option, though not usually the one we think of first, is just cry out to the Father.  He hears us, love, us, and wants us to trust him with childlike faith.  It isn’t always easy, but it’s the best path to follow!