A Lack of Faith?
A lack of faith is a daily struggle for many of us. And it is easy to see why: we are immersed in a culture that offers us images of the good life. Often we are made to think that we are living the good life if we keep up with our neighbors, are financially successful, raise smart children, and post incredible vacations on Instagram.
It is no surprise that there is immense pressure to keep up. If we are honest, we may feel as though we are failing in one or more of these important “successful” life metrics.
The anxiety we feel can lead to all sorts of doubts. If we have children, do we doubt the adequacy of our parenting? Couldn’t we do more? Do we have faith in God to draw them closer to Him? If we are close to retiring, do we have doubts about what lies next? Are we trusting the Lord for His provision?
If you find yourself wrestling with such issues, you are not alone. The Bible provides numerous examples of saints who demonstrated a lack of faith. We might think of Thomas and his lack of faith regarding the Resurrection, or Peter, in his cowardly threefold denial of Jesus.
We will face temptation, and rest assured, our faith will be challenged. Sometimes we will act in faith; sometimes we will not. How do we respond in those moments when we find that our faith is lacking? Do we beat ourselves up? Note: it should be mentioned that a little guilt can be good if it leads to repentance, but focusing too much on our woeful inadequacies can also be destructive.
Yet, there is another response. Christianity has always emphasized the importance of looking outside of ourselves for strength. To look to the One (the only One) who was truly faithful. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “Fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. He was faithful to the one who appointed him” (Hebrews 3:1-3).
You see, ultimately, it is not our faith that saves us … It is the faithfulness of Jesus Christ that saves us:
- He faithfully became incarnate.
- He faithfully took on the role of a servant.
- He faithfully underwent temptation.
- He faithfully went to Gethsemane.
- He faithfully yielded His hands to the nails.
- He faithfully absorbed our guilt.
- He faithfully bore it all in silence.
- He faithfully gave up His least breath.
Such was the ministry of our faithful savior, Jesus Christ. Let us, therefore, look to Him, the author and perfector of our faith.
