Some days, all I have is Jesus.
Seriously. Sometimes, that’s all I have to get me through a day. The only thing that keeps me from blowing a gasket. My faith in a risen Lord and Messiah, my savior Jesus Christ, along with the knowledge that through becoming born again my soul is secure and that God is backing me—that is sometimes that only thing that make me able to keep going.
A lot of people like to pick on people for using Christianity as a crutch. OK. So what’s wrong with a crutch? If your leg is seriously sprained or broken, how the hell else are you going to get around?
So Christianity, or more specifically God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, are sometimes my crutch. Or the safety net under that high-wire I’m trying to walk. Or the flotation device that my seat becomes should my plane have to make a landing on water.
I won’t make any damn apologies for that. It’s a fool who doesn’t use his or her support system when things get rough. Right now, I don’t have much of a support system, and things are pretty crappy. So I’m calling on my spiritual lifelines.
That doesn’t make me weak. It means I have some common sense. Because truth be told, we all are weak at times. Hurt. Helpless. Struggling.
And I’m telling you that it’s God that grants me the strength sometimes—that little extra boost I don’t have in my anymore and I know I don’t have—to have gotten through some stuff, and to continue to get through, that other people have done things like put bullets in their head to solve. People in my extended circle who, by the way, didn’t lean on God. Ever.
Crutch? Sometimes.
I prefer to think of God as my ace in the hole.
I agree 100%. People who criticize faith have issues with weakness – which for some reason they don’t like all that much. But like you, I am weak at times and the faith speaks to me about things like hope – which sometimes seems ‘out of reach’. Faith is damn good thing!
I have to laugh when people complain about faith as being ‘a crutch’ – like having weaknesses is the worst thing we can admit to. I came from a background that should of sent me into a life of despair – jailtime and criminal records. This faith in God – through the community if the church – meant everything to me when I was so weak in my decision making skills and hope for the future. I will always remember that – when I was broken and without hope – this faith offered me a lot of it.
Now I am older and living a fairly good life – got all the things I wanted – except children but we’ll see about that. Now that I am living a good life – should I forget where this faith has allowed me to be and become? No…that’s tantamount to lying. Now de-converts may have a problem with this – but I sure don’t. You got to give thanks where thanks is due. I thank God that I have been allowed what I have and what is coming in the future – it kept me gorunded and helped me develop a paradigm to function by (when I didnt know how).
I am like you in this regards – to me God is in everything I do now – due to following these teaching. Life can be tough sometimes – but having something to fall on is always nice.
I remember having this “debate” online years ago. And I am always quick to note that the real crutches are drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, and any destructive behavior people lean on to replace faith – which requires a much stronger character to live by.
Thanks for this great post.
And I agree with the first comment, that folks who throw around the “crutch” definition of faith have serious problem with weakness. Too bad since we’re all weak at points in life.
I need that crutch myself brother.
Thanks to all on the comments/feedback.
I wonder how many of the folks who criticize the “faith crutch” would criticize someone for going to therapy or taking antidepressants for clinical depression or anything like that. Oh, I know there are some that would accuse them of weakness too, but for the most part, those things are seen as therapeutic, and rightly so.
It’s this kind of subtle thing that I think many of us in a faith walk (especially Christian) complain about when we talk about Christians being the object or ridicule. People say, “Well, most people are Christian…look at all those huge mega-churches…etc.” and they completely ignore that most people don’t practice any kind of overt Christianity and those that do really are singled out for the “stank eye” treatment by the bulk of the population.
Good topic
I think for most people its not the fact of using a “crutch”, its the point that too many Christians say their “crutch” is the only “crutch” and without Jesus none of you will heal. I get the faith idea in regards to holding you up, I just believe God doesnt limit itself to one form of expression. If only Jesus works for you, then by all means brother, you go with it. Just remember though, I may not use your type of “crutch” only, as it may not be that useful for me in all situations. Hope your life gets on track quickly. Heres one for you.
“In life pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.”
Tit for Tat…I am as frustrated by people who claim Jesus is the only cure for what ails us. I find people who promote prayer as REPLACEMENTS to physicians, counseling, medications, responsibility, etc. to be VERY dangerous. And I don’t discount that other faiths/philosophies as well give strength…I just don’t think they are soul-saving avenues.
God gave us brains to use them, and that means some people have the brains to develop skills in areas that can help us cope and keep us healthy.
My point is that there are points at which there are no viable options avaiable and there’s nothing left inside me, and Jesus and God are my source of strength, and it frustrates me when people minimize that as a something frivilous.
Deacon Blue said: “My point is that there are points at which there are no viable options available and there’s nothing left inside me,…”
Now you’re getting into the “control what you can” territory, and that’s a good place to be. Heck. I can’t control the economy, gas prices, or even my dang fiance. I can only control my choices. “Responsibility is working to make the best choices. Faith gives strength inside the gap after the extent of my actions expires.
You know what would be a good topic of discussion?
I see non-Christians complain often that their main problem with believers is that we think our way is the only way. Now, I can understand that frustration when Christians minimize, belittle or even persecute other religions, but I don’t understand why people are upset just because I think my way is the right way.
Don’t they think their way is the right way?
I’ve touched on this before, but it probably bears repeating as a dedicated post. Plus, it would play into a debate on evangelism as home-wrecking that I’ve been meaning to bring in here from another blog (Losing My Religion)