Today’s scripture: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Robert Ferguson):
I remember a day I had to stop and ask myself if I was in the middle of a faith crisis.
I took the time to explore my own spiritual journey. It seemed as if things had gotten off track. My focus had moved from God onto me. I am not sure when the shift actually happened — it was more gradual than abrupt.
However once I became aware of the shift I started to notice the same theme emerging in every area of my life. What do I need and what do I want? So now that I am attempting to get my Christian walk back on track by finding out what it is that God wants, I wonder if I have strayed too far. Where do I start, God? How do I find my way back to you?
There are pitfalls to considering oneself a wise or mature Christian. Being new to the faith is easy. Author and teacher Stuart Briscoe said,
“When I got saved, it was so wonderful. The burden of sin was gone. Boy, I started out wanting to live for God and be so happy. It’s wonderful. Here I am saved. Hallelujah, Jesus. I will never make another mistake. I have been saved; my sins have been forgiven. I have the Holy Spirit in me. I was saying this is just wonderful and then I stumbled and fell and I got discouraged a little bit. I said, ‘Well this isn’t as easy as I thought. This is difficult.’ And I began to strive and to try to be a better Christian and I still failed miserably. I stopped saying this is difficult. I hung my head in despair and said ‘This is impossible.'”
I have to agree with Briscoe, the Christian life is impossible, without Christ. It seems the harder I try to stay on track and remain focused, the more I fail. Paul said it best:
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
When I read our scripture for today, I am reminded that on my own I do not have what it takes to walk this Christian walk. It is only through Christ who is within me that I can do anything! But thanks be to God for mercy and the gift of The Christ! You see, when Stuart Briscoe discovered that God is the God of the impossible and that Jesus Christ was in him, he stopped trying, started trusting, and let the Lord Jesus Christ live His life through him.
Thought for the day: Am I trying, or trusting?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.