I spent most of the month of January in the darkness … fortunately the Lord watched over me in that period of time where my faith was in absentia and He brought me back into the light. Interestingly enough in the midst of that journey, I was led to read through and consider the book Fearless by Max Lucado. Apart from that leading and the partial resolution of the many events that were prompting (NOT JUSTIFYING) my worry, doubt and fear in January, I am certain I would still be floundering in the dark. Max Lucado writes, “Jesus doesn’t condemn legitimate concern for responsibilities but rather the continuous mind-set that dismisses God’s presence. Destructive anxiety subtracts God from the future, faces uncertainties with no faith, tallies up the challenges of the day without entering God into the equation. Worry is the darkroom where negatives become glossy prints.” Quite frankly I must believe our dear brother Max has also spent time in the darkroom. There is too much wisdom in that brief paragraph. What is the opposite of faith? Obviously, lack of faith. But how does that play out. Some would say worry … some would say fear. A lot of things drive fear … one key culprit is death. Sometimes doubt enters in. And I think in all of these things are different aspects of the answer. Certainly Jesus taught about worry … anxiety … and that it was a result of little faith: "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' Matthew 6:25-31 (ESV) And in the midst of fear … being afraid … Jesus also said that was a result of little faith: And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing." And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:23-26 (ESV) Death can indeed be one of the greatest agents of both fear and darkness … especially when we take our eyes off the fact that Jesus has delivered all from the fear of death and lifelong slavery. Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Hebrews 2:14-15 (ESV) Sometimes the result of little faith is simply doubt … the storms around us seem bigger than the God of the storms: And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water." He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:28-31 (ESV) To some personal degree, in January I experienced (or should I say thought I was?) all of these and was indeed one of little faith … and yet those are not words of condemnation as much as they are words identifying my need … a need … for faith … of which there is only one author and perfecter (Hebrews 12:2). But the opening to that passage is so key to faith … Peter found out when he walked on water … and most of us have realized it at some time in our life. “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS, the author and perfecter of faith.” We can either be consumed with Jesus … or everything else will consume … and destroy us. In reading this, some will wonder and consider, ‘What specific sin or sins is he entangled in?’ Quite frankly, that is a logical question to pose. But the law and the commandments will not answer that question … because what is at issue is not an obedience issue (not to suggest I am 100% obedient) … it’s a faith issue … which in my estimation is the greater issue. Consider this … … and whatever is not from faith is sin. Romans 14:23 (NASB) Consider a man’s position before God absent faith based on the following: For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. Romans 3:28 (NASB) But NOT apart from the works of faith (consider James 2:24-26). There is an interesting dimension of this infamous definition of faith implied but not stated … Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (NASB) While it speaks of things hoped for … of things not seen … the implied but missing dimension is time … God’s timing. Sometimes we can grab hold of the hope and assurance … but waiting for an indeterminate time for the assurance and conviction to become a reality is beyond our grasp … beyond my grasp. Let’s take a second look at the Max Lucado passage from the opening: “Jesus doesn’t condemn legitimate concern for responsibilities but rather the continuous mind-set that dismisses God’s presence. Destructive anxiety subtracts God from the future, faces uncertainties with no faith, tallies up the challenges of the day without entering God into the equation. Worry is the darkroom where negatives become glossy prints.” Future? I want microwave and sit-com resolution response! Waiting is not a natural human option … and yet … waiting upon the Lord is indeed a critical aspect of faith, rest and strength: Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.
Isaiah 40:28-31 (NASB) I like how Eugene Peterson has interpreted Matthew 6:34 in The Message//Remix and adds clarity to the issue I have wrestled with … and I’m sure will continue to wrestle with. “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up WHEN the time comes.” I know this has all been a bit rambling … it’s a bit of my way of understanding what happened in me as I wandered into the darkroom and away from the light. Feel free to comment as you are so led. | 
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