trust

"If authentic, saving belief is the act of trusting, then to choose stress is an act of disbelief ... atheism.  Anything less than gratitude and trust is practical atheism ... Perhaps the opposite of faith is not doubt.  Perhaps the opposite of faith is to fear.  To lack faith perhaps isn't as much an intellectual disbelief in the existence of God as fear and distrust that there is a good God"   - AV

WOW!  Thought a lot about this idea of practical atheism when I was reading David Platt's Radical last summer.  Seems ridiculous to think that those of us who profess Christ could live as though there is no God.  But, we do.  We accept other ways to God other than the ONE way we've been given = Jesus.  We minimize sin and thus, what Christ did for us on the cross.  And this is just another example of HOW we do that.  We choose to believe (with our lives) that God is not good.

I remember well the first time I was confronted with the idea that we believe the lie that God is not good.  We would never, ever, ever wanna say that out loud.  But the thought creeps into our lives much more often than we'd like to admit.  And disbelief is just one of the expressions of that. 

And how do we move from disbelief and fear to faith??  How do we move from thoughts of an unconcerned or uncaring God to a human-loving God?  Gratitude.  It really changes everything.  Remember yesterday?  I cannot FEEL fear AND gratitude.  I cannot FEEL stress AND gratitude.  I cannot FEEL disappointment AND gratitude.  So, this morning as I prayed for today, I prayed for the flights God IS going to provide and am letting gratitude permeate my fear.

126. hearing the heat kick on while I'm blanket bound on the couch
127. the quiet of the early morning house
128. the promise of a day of possibilities ahead