I’ve heard alot of people suggest people with strong religious faith are actually really weak.

Weak willed. Easily led. Unable to think for themselves. Unable to think intellectually. Unable to question authority.

You get the message I think.

To me though, truly faithful people are really some of the strongest in the world.

I’m not saying that religious faith doesn’t come with potential problems. For example the mean-spirited members of the fundie crowd are always saying nasty things about gays and telling us that disasters are God’s judgements upon us and all that. And well…those terrorists that fly planes into building and set off bombs in the middle of marketplaces and stuff like that operate on religious faith too. The list goes on but you get it.

What I’m talking about though are the people who can be strong in their faith even with the pressures of the world. The people who can see God in the little things and feel his presence even when redemption and deliverance and comfort seem so far away.

The kinda faith like what is addressed in this video about the wrongness of prosperity ministries (the part I’m talking about is about halfway through, about a minute or so into this just-under three minute video)…

…see what I mean? Faith that God is there with us to give us strength when we put ourselves fully into his arms (or wings maybe) even with something as horrifying as the death of a child…and not that he is either:

1. A mean-tempered curmudgeon who wants to punish us for every little thang
2. A cosmic piggy bank there to give us everything we ask for

Faith is kinda what you put into it. If you put a lot of yourself into faith…and I mean your heart into…not some kind of blind foolhardy faith like “if I jump off this building God will catch me”…you will be stronger. If you don’t put anything into it you’re just an automaton going to church for no reason or a person in danger of giving up on God just because your life isn’t what you think it should be. Empty faith is like an empty suit of armor cuz it’s just gonna fall apart as soon as someone smacks it. True faith is armor on a skilled knight to protect him (or her) from doom.

(Go here to see what Deke has to say about faith today on our first Twofer Tuesday)