Bringing Home the Faith: a Pastor writes to her teenage son about Christian belief is a series of ten letters I wrote for my son addressing his doubts about Christian faith and answering his questions about what Christians believe and why. Each letter is preceded by an Introduction which introduces the topic.
Please share these weekly installments of Bringing Home the Faith with someone in your life, whether young or old, who wants uncomplicated and honest answers to their questions and concerns about Christian faith.
Last week in letter #1, I wrote about the importance of getting to know God and his perspective, which is so different from our own. This week I conclude the letter beginning with the last paragraph of last week’s post:
With God, it’s a lot like getting to know a new friend except you can’t see him and it’s not as easy to hear what he’s saying – but it starts out the same way. Kind of awkward, at first, and then, gradually, the more you spend time with him and put some effort into getting to know him – and telling him about yourself – the more at ease you become being with him. You’ll find that, soon, you’re past the point of wondering if you can believe in God and you’ll look back on that and wonder why you thought it was so hard.
Here’s a good way to feel more at ease with God: thank him. Don’t think about this too much, just make a point throughout the day to stop what you’re doing or thinking and say (in your head or out loud), “thank you.”
At first it will be a bit of an effort. But like any new friendship you’ve got to put in the time and effort. Soon the day will come when you just naturally talk to God and you feel comfortable conversing with him at all times of the day.
Just to give you some ideas of how to thank God and build a relationship with him, Continue reading
Like the man who thought the moon landings were a hoax, we may have something which gets in the way of seeing God for whom He really is. We should also be willing to admit we may be wrong about some things. This is a healthy approach to any kind of exploration.
n opportunity for growth in faith rather than a hindrance. So instead of being alarmed, I was delighted at the opportunity this gave us to talk about faith in God from his perspective. I had been sharing my faith with him since he was a young child, so the subject was not new to him. It was, however, the first time that he, as an adolescent, approached me and honestly shared his doubts. It was a moment I had been praying for and by God’s grace I was ready for it.
Careful For Nothing 