Even Flow

“Thoughts Arrive like Butterflies”

Yet He will begin his life again!

 Night and day, we pray earnestly for you, asking God to let us see you again to fill the gaps in your faith. - 1 Thessalonians 3:10

What does it mean to have "gaps in your faith?"  The apostle Paul wanted to return to the new believers in Thessalonica to help "fill the gaps" in their faith.  I thought to myself, “What is he talking about?”

And here's the thing, we all have gaps in our faith.  We just need the right set of circumstances or times to reveal them. You see the believers in Thessalonica were suffering because of their professed faith in Jesus and at some point, they were excluded from social circles and or faced some kind of scarcity. It seems to be economic and some of them were beaten and /or imprisoned. 

Most people today would not have experienced anything like that but here’s the thing. We all have gaps in our faith. We just need the right set of circumstances to reveal them. The question is, "Would your faith as it currently exists be enough to hold up under any or all of things that make you suffer?"  It's hard to know that for sure unless the day in “reality” comes, but to groom ourselves for these moments we need other advocates, some of whom may have been tested in ways you have not, to encourage us and give us a point of view—to fill in our gaps. 

It isn’t always easy to speak correction to those we know are clearly in the wrong or have gaps in their life. But the Lord uses strong leaders to correct His People. Courageous leaders who can speak the truth in love. As a child before my mom’s death I remember going to church more than not. After her pasting the only time I went was to Sunday School or when family took me only if I spent the weekend at their homes. I never enjoyed it because I never had the right clothes to wear. Since I wasn’t a regular my wardrobe was light on nice and I felt awkward around those who were always dressed with their Sunday best and looked so well groomed. Feeling out of place it was hard also to build a relationship with the other kids; like an outsider transiting In and out from different doctrinal houses of worship on a monthly cycle. 

It wasn’t until my second year of College that I started the thought process of returning to the church, learning fully about the gaps and why of Faith and God. Wondering why the unhealthy habits of the world kept consuming my mind and getting into my journey; Was its clear brokenness, a lack of support that contributed to the drift from the thing we all needed most, “a love connection to God and a life centered on things He was trying to teach”. You see I had forgotten my early training as a child to be for Christ. I only just had to remember those old-old songs my mom had song to me that taught me how to focus on Him and what He is doing in my life. To this day, I enjoy singing,

“which lift’s my inner self for Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit “.

“They must holdthe mystery of the faith with a clear conscience”.1 Timothy 3:9

What a Mystery, when we are touched or when someone is put in your life especially when you are having a really hard time wondering what to do next. This person a mentor/tutor on campus suggested two things:

First write a letter to God. Figuring I had nothing to lose, I did it very specific, detailed and heartfelt. Being completely fearful, drained after finishing but strangely things became much clearer in my mind.

Second, get involved in a bible class or take a religious course, He said,” but if you do speak up with love in your heart and ask questions always”. So, during my Jr year, I took a class called Group Dynamics dealing with and learning about your views about other religions. It turned out to be a Faith changing moment. We sat in a circle then, our teacher would throw out questions for discussion. One day, the teacher asked a question that shook me up:

“why does God let a drunk driver get away with his actions of killing, but a six-month-old baby dies of cancer?” Suddenly the class was no longer silent, this question started a huge discussion. Two answered I remember most:

 “maybe God is trying to get revenge on us for our sins.” 

“I think God wants us to be Buddhist because they believe in happiness.”

I looked at others in my class that I thought were Christians, realizing they were too afraid to speak up. My heart started pounding as I glanced nervously at a few students who appeared to be dozing or sleeping. Some of them probably thought they were too unemotional to answer. Out of nowhere, I articulated, “I don’t believe any of that.” Realizing that all heads had turned toward me, I contemplated not explaining myself as my teacher just looked at me. I was risking becoming “that Christian fanatic.” But suddenly, I felt the bravery to continue.

“I don’t think God chose to have the world filled with evil, but Satan and humans have shaped the world into the way it now is. We have a just and loving God”.

My teacher asked, waving his arms dramatically, “What about the baby? Shouldn’t God have ordered one of his angels to come save it?”. I can’t believe I answered the teacher with grace and without anger. “To be honest, I don’t have an answer for everything, but I know from the bible God doesn’t enjoy the pain we experience and HE didn’t make the world this way. It’s broken by sin, so maybe you should have stated your question differently.” I don’t think we can judge God on the evil of this world. Instead, I just have faith he is in control and will one day right the wrongs.”

The teacher moved onto a different question, I felt a feeling the whole class glaring at me but I had a rush of happiness, a sense that God was proud of what I had just done, and that this is why my mentor encouraged me to always ask question that were God honoring especially in tough moments

You see when Paul advises Timothy to appoint deacons who “hold to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience,” he is telling Timothy to find mature believers—men who understand the message of the gospel and are living it out. 

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!” (Romans 11:33). 

The message of Christ’s sacrifice for sin and His resurrection (the message that Paul refers to as “the faith”) is easy to understand. The basic gospel message is simple enough for even the youngest believer, but it is also a humbling mystery that was only hinted at throughout the time of the Old Covenant. Now God’s plan of salvation has been revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ, and we are held responsible to “hold” that message firmly.

Do you have someone who is currently filling in your gaps?  Do you have someone whose faith gaps you're helping to fill? My prayers are that you are able to feel the awesomeness of his love in your life as soon as you can rather than later.

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