Faith Revisited and Renewed

Resilience, hope and strength.... these terms probably sound foreign to those who were brought up in non-religious homes. Faith isn't blind; it's a choice. Forgiveness isn't for those who have wronged you; it's for you and God. Believing that Jesus can heal and save humanity, die on the cross and then resurrect again to purify your heart is a process. It requires being able to see what can't be seen by the naked eye. 

I believe that faith allows people to make sense of things that don't make sense. It gives our heart peace of mind. It allows us to feel deeply and reach out to others who are in need or are struggling. With all of this said, I honestly feel as if my experiences with faith have taken me to places that have made me face temptation, fear and doubt. It's made me sense things that are beyond what I was able to sense before. God works in mysterious ways, but His love is steadfast as long as you can admit and repent your sins to Him in fervent prayer. 

I know that stepping into my own faith journey has been a process. Trust hasn't always been easy for me to lean into, but I feel like it's becoming easier for me to surrender. I also feel like it's becoming easier for me to recognize impurity in others, but to still hold enough care in my heart. I don't want to be someone who casts judgment onto anybody as we're all human, but there are certain behaviors that I'm starting to not tolerate as much as I used to. It's more than okay to place firm boundaries on certain things. It's also okay to say no as a means of keeping one's peace. If there's one thing that I'm also starting to gain a lot more clarity on, it's that unconditional love does NOT mean unconditional tolerance for any behavior that feels dangerous or harmful. 

Sometimes, it's not easy to face reality for what it really is. It's easier to believe that there's good in this world, and in some cases, you will run into people whose intentions are pure, honest and golden. However, what I'm starting to understand better now is that even though a lot of people claim to be good at heart, they can still do harmful things. It's important to understand the difference between choosing to purposefully hurt people as opposed to making mistakes of any kind. We're all human. It's okay to be human, but what's not okay is to purposefully hurt people just because you're having a bad day or experiencing a low point in life.

To wrap up this post, what I'll say in regards to where I'm at now is that I'm starting to believe more. I'm also starting to use more discernment, but even with the best of intentions I try to have and use, I still get things confused sometimes. Asking for help still doesn't come easy to me, but I'm trying my best to remain patient. I know that this year as a whole has tested my patience in many ways, so these days, there's not a lot that can surprise me. Vulnerability is scary, but it's what makes love worthwhile. I hope that the lessons I've learned thus far in life can carry me to a place that brings me more joy, abundance and purpose in a way that glorifies God and Jesus.