Recently I have heard some podcasts and sermons that have crystalized some ideas I’ve been having about what what Faith really is (biblically) and highlighted some misconceptions I’ve noticed my self for a couple of years now.
I’ve really enjoyed the series at woodland hills church, by Greg Boyd: “crap happens” . Some of the points that I want to highligt:
- The fact that God is all powerful does not mean that He controls everything and everyone. God is not a neanderthal that forces His will on us. He tries to persuade us in love.
- God does not respond to “quantities” of faith. Faith is not like a currency that you need to accumulate in sufficient quantities to “buy” the miracle you want.
- Real faith has more to do with trusting and obeying God, even when he does not make sense.
- That when we feel betrayed by God, or disappointed by God it’s because we think God owes us something, because we have prayed a lot, and had lots of “faith”. Then when if we do not get what we ask for we think that is might have been because he did not have enough faith or doubted and we messed up, or because God is mean.
- Real faith is a covenant to trust and obey God, even when it does not make sense.
I hope you can check out that series and your actual real faith in God grows and matures!