Several people poured out their pain to me this week, one of them so distraught he wanted to end his life. Far too many are deeply wounded by life’s tragedies! And even more tragic is that they all said they have no more faith. Everyone around them, and all their attempts to live well and pray have failed.
I, too, have almost thrown in the towel during some painfully dark times in my own life. I’ve had seasons of rebellion, questioning, cynicism and apathy. Just what was it that kept me from bagging it all? For me, after struggling and searching, numbing, and trying to power through, I finally saw hope. Truth. Not just the best option – but the ONLY one. And have had decades to confirm it in my own life.
We all need the truth, and that is where I think our light of hope is found.
Here’s how it all came together for me. From the very earliest days, the devil lied about God, and he also lied about man. And he has had a lot of time since then to destroy lives by the darkness of deception. Whether we consider our lives as fortunate, or if abuse or trauma or betrayal or tragedies comprise most of our past, our concept of God and our concept of ourselves have been profoundly impacted, and probably distorted.
The world and the devil perpetually seduce us with cunning lies, about God and about ourselves…many of which come from people we thought we could trust.
The two biggest lies are that God is not loving and powerful, and that we don’t need Him.
If you have been betrayed, let down, been through horrific things, were mistreated, lied to, or abused, my heart goes out to you. The only answer for ALL of us is to do a reboot. STOP. Seek the truth. (Not politically correct in our postmodern culture, where everything is relative, and whatever you choose to believe can be true.)
People say to me, “I wish I had your faith.” And I always encourage them to just reach out to God, that He does not care about the quantity of faith but the object of it – that we choose to place it in HIM. Even the tiniest act of reaching out to Him is the best place to start. For me, and many others over the centuries, faith cannot be contrived, but comes from hearing God’s Word…TRUTH.
That is where we will find the truth about God and the truth about ourselves. And it was Jesus who said, “I am the truth.” And also, “the truth shall set you free.”
The ultimate place where we see the truth about our desperate NEED, and the truth about God’s LOVE for us, is the cross.
The two true reasons to not give up on God have been magnificently displayed by Jesus on the cross: 1 – We are sinners, dead and destined for hell without God; and 2 – He is the answer: loving and gracious to buy us back with His own blood, so we can experience life far beyond what we can imagine, safely and gloriously with Him forever.
Heard it all before? Sound like pie in the sky?
Before you throw in the towel, I urge you to investigate God’s Word, the Bible. A good place to start is the first two chapters of Genesis, the entire book of John’s Gospel, and the last two chapters of Revelation.
The question is, who are you choosing to believe?
In spite of all that’s terribly wrong in our lives and our world, the two reasons not to give up on God are the truth of who He is and the truth of who we are. As a result of His love and mercy, and tremendous promises to those who are willing to receive Him, WE HAVE HOPE! Not a religion, or a to-do list, but a one-on-one relationship with our Creator and deliverer.
And when you are tempted to give up on God, remember He has not given up on you, but has shown you how much He loves you, and is waiting for you to respond. I hope you do. It was the best thing I have ever done.
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For a more in depth reflection: https://welbyo.com/2018/02/entitled-a-personal-reflection-on-life/
Resources Affirming the Truth of the Bible:
https://www.amazon.com/Evidence-That-Demands-Verdict-Life-Changing/dp/1401676707/
https://www.amazon.com/Bible-True-Really-Skepticism-Chronicles/dp/0802487661/ref
https://www.amazon.com/Creator-Cosmos-Scientific-Discoveries-Century/dp/1576832880/ref=
