Help My Unbelief!

Saul and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. Just as Saul and his men began to close in on David and his men, an urgent message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again. So Saul quit chasing David and returned to fight the Philistines. Ever since that time, the place where David was camped has been called the Rock of Escape. [I Samuel 23.26-28]

Wow, what a coincidence! David sure lucked out on that one, right?

I wish I could get this kind of thinking entirely out of my head!

At times as I look around me, circumstances point to bad things happening. It is in those times I need not lose hope. It is in those times I need to trust that God can orchestrate any circumstance to go any way He chooses... if I will but trust Him...

Oh, there I go again on faith! Why can I not just accept life as it happens and try to let my faith be personal and internal - looking forward to "one day in the sweet by and by"?

Here is why: As I look for definition in the Bible for Who God is - what He is like - what His character really is, I see first of all that He is Love. Then, regardless of all the questionable events (and yes, there are many), I still see an overwhelming character trait of patience and mercy - a willingness to forgive.

And then, there is Jesus. I have seen over the last few days that Jesus has associated Himself so closely with God as to say, "If you've seen Me, you've seen God." And what have I seen in Jesus? Love, mercy, forgiveness... And what's more, Jesus today defines Himself as the good shepherd - even goes so far as to define His adversary in contrast as one who steals, kills, and destroys!

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. [John 10.10]

At what conclusion do I arrive? Satan sucks! He is a thief! He is a murderer! And, he is a destroyer! Also, he is a liar! And, for each of these roles, he is eternally damned by God!

So, when bad things happen, WHY IN THE NAME OF ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY REASONABLE DO WE BLAME GOD????

Could it be that blaming God is our only option to save face? Could it be that blaming God takes the pressure off of us to walk in the faith Jesus spoke of and demonstrated? Could it be that pride keeps us from admitting how pitifully unfaithful we really are? Oh, be sure of it, I will be scolded for this kind of talk! And Job will come up as well... BUT JOB DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS LIKE WE DO!

Father, I am ashamed of how faithless I have been. I am ashamed of how I have concocted religious ideology to fit my own inadequacy of faith. Please forgive me. Lord, I believe - help my unbelief!