Faith is not a barrier. Faith is a carrier.

I posted this on Facebook the other day:

“What’s been the best part of your day? My answer: playing Star Wars with Jack. If only y’all could’ve seen this mama in her platform sandals attempting to win a lightsaber fight #motherhoodrocks #staystylishwhilefightingthedarkside”

Oh yes I did…

 

 

We recently let our son, Jackson, watch the movie Star Wars with us. The force field used to protect the Death Star made me think about the issue of faith. Here is something I’d like you to think about fellow Padawan:

Should we look at our lives and link our circumstances to how much or how little faith we think we possess?

 

 

If we are not careful, we can fall into the trap of thinking faith is similar to a Star Wars force field. We falsely assume that faith will not allow any suffering, loss, or discouragement to enter into our lives. What happens when the Dark Side begins firing upon us through a medical diagnosis, loss of money, loneliness, or rejection?

We blame our force field of faith.

We forget the following:

 

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised…”

~Hebrews 11: 32-39 ESV

 

Faith is not a force field. Some who possess faith in God will conquer and lead kingdoms, acquire wealth, experience perfect health and prosper. Others who possess faith in God are tortured, killed, or suffer immense physical pain. The writer of Hebrews does not quantify the faith of those mentioned. He only writes that they possessed faith and that the world was not worthy of them.

I love that.

The positive side of faith (being made strong out of weakness, shutting the mouths of lions) is easy to embrace. Accepting the truth that a person of faith can face defeat or discouragement is tough to swallow. It is a powerful reminder that my heart needed to hear this week.

 

One Degree Moment

As many of you know, my mother passed away 9 months ago. I often find myself wondering why she had to suffer since she was a woman of great faith. As I meditate on this passage, I realize that:

my mother was not diagnosed with breast cancer because she lacked faith. What carried her through her breast cancer was the strength of her faith.

 

 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

~Hebrews 11:1 NIV

 

Faith is not a barrier. Faith is a carrier.

Faith is what guides and sustains you and me through times of prosperity and times of suffering. Faith carried my mother through years of chemotherapy and unimaginable pain. Faith gave my mother the confidence to give her life to Jesus Christ. Faith gave her the assurance that entering into eternity with Him would end her suffering once and for all.

My fellow Padawan, cease linking your circumstances to your perceived amount of faith. If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, the true force of the Holy Spirit is within you. Learn from Him and allow your faith to carry you through seasons of plenty and seasons of pain.

May your lightsaber battles against the Dark Side remind you that faith is not a force field. Faith is what carries you and me through the circumstances of our lives.