The Testing of our Faith

One of the great challenges that Christians face on a daily basis is the debate of faith vs. common sense. Too often we try to rationalize away what God may be saying to us because it goes against our common sense. But Oswald Chambers makes a great statement for us to hang on to in this debate: "... common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense." As Christians we have to get to the point where we actually believe what God has told us and stop trying to use the world's system of thinking to figure things out. God's ways and His thinking are not the world's and vice versa.

How Christians think is often criticised by the world because the world doesn't understand the Christian life. This shouldn't surprise us. Many people in the secular world look at reason and common sense as their guides instead of God. And I am not saying that Christians shouldn't or don't use common sense. We should and do use common sense. God has given people intelligence and we should use this in our living.

I wonder how many Christians have let common sense stop us from doing what God has told us? We feel we should do this or that but when we analyze the assignment, we talk ourselves out of it because it doesn't make "sense." How many Christians have failed to share the gospel with someone because they didn't think the person would listen? How many Christians haven't brought food to a neighbor when God said because they didn't know that person? Faith says that we believe even though we don't see or understand completely. Hebrews 11:1 NIV - "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Faith is about trust, trust in God and His promises. Our faith is going to be tested and it is tested everyday but we must hang on to our trust in Him. God has shown Himself to be a trustworthy and reliable friend. Let us look to Him and we won't be disappointed. As Hebrews 12:2 NIV reminds us "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Have a great day and may God bless you in what you do today.

Pastor Mark