inside and outside
More and more I am starting to look at faith as having aspects of an art, as being something that has to do with inward behaviour. Faith means a certain stubbornity, and in the same time an openness. I often have time when God gives me good insight, but then I fail at applying it.
For a long time of my life I haven't looked beyond the sin/punishment/forgiveness theme. But now I am trying to do this. I must grow in honest, genuine and humble love. I must never forget to put on the garment of joy that Jesus wants me to wear every day.
I have to fight with my inertia a lot. There is a very unreasonable apathy in me. Too easily do I think all is lost when someone disagrees with me and I can't disprove him readily. Sometimes when I talk with people it feels like their speech is full of concrete. They don't seem to actually try to put love and gentleness into their words.
Only love, in the end, is truly believable. God's justice, besides convicting our sin, also aims at justifying the good in us. That's why Theresa of Avila also tells us to dig into our souls, to see the awesomeness there. Man is both sinner and saint. There is no good in us, like Paul says, but that refers to the human attempt of making himself good without God making us like this. There is a lot of good in us that God put there. For example, I sometimes write a good poem. I have friendliness towards other people in my heart and don't hate them. This is all good stuff and I can remember it and feel glad that I have this. But I must connect this to God's work on me and on how well he equipped me with life, and how my parents raised me. I am not completely pointless. And I shall not treat others like that, no matter who they are.
For a long time of my life I haven't looked beyond the sin/punishment/forgiveness theme. But now I am trying to do this. I must grow in honest, genuine and humble love. I must never forget to put on the garment of joy that Jesus wants me to wear every day.
I have to fight with my inertia a lot. There is a very unreasonable apathy in me. Too easily do I think all is lost when someone disagrees with me and I can't disprove him readily. Sometimes when I talk with people it feels like their speech is full of concrete. They don't seem to actually try to put love and gentleness into their words.
Only love, in the end, is truly believable. God's justice, besides convicting our sin, also aims at justifying the good in us. That's why Theresa of Avila also tells us to dig into our souls, to see the awesomeness there. Man is both sinner and saint. There is no good in us, like Paul says, but that refers to the human attempt of making himself good without God making us like this. There is a lot of good in us that God put there. For example, I sometimes write a good poem. I have friendliness towards other people in my heart and don't hate them. This is all good stuff and I can remember it and feel glad that I have this. But I must connect this to God's work on me and on how well he equipped me with life, and how my parents raised me. I am not completely pointless. And I shall not treat others like that, no matter who they are.