Neglecting Our Faith

I see it time and time again. Well-meaning people go about their day and ignore the issues they pass. These are people we would call “good Christians.” These people go through the day focused on what needs to be done.

Here’s the truth. I can attempt to criticize “these” people all I want. But the reality is, I am one of “them.” I can be the worst at stopping the agenda I need to get done. Now, I can come up with many reasons why I do this, but I like to be in charge of what I need to do. This is something I continue to struggle with. By God’s grace, I am improving.

I bring all of this up because I have witnessed and experienced something we all should pay attention to, and that is how, often, in daily life, we end up neglecting the faith we profess.

Here’s what I mean. We believe we are on the right track if we read the Christian Bible, attend worship, and try to do some good things in our community. But what if we miss something even more than we could have imagined? What if, by doing these minimal activities, we neglect our faith by not acting on the prompting of the Holy Spirit?

I’m sure you can think of ways this is happening. You may have felt the urge to help a person in need but then reasoned a way to get out of helping because the resources given would be used for drugs, sold, or something else.

You also may have wanted to help with some area in the church, or you may have faithfully done so for many years but then found ways to get out of it. We can reason, “someone else needs to step up” or “I have done my time.” We may have been faithful for a while, but what about when the task became too much for our busy schedule?

If any of this is stepping on your toes or upset you, then good. We all should take time to assess how we live our lives and who we live our lives for. As James says, “faith without works is dead.” The works we should should be because of the faith we profess.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we live a life that brings honor and glory to him. We do everything we can to expand the Kingdom of Heaven to be known and shown here on Earth as it is in Heaven. Our mission is to be a “kingdom of priests,” “always ready with an answer for the hope we profess.” At least, this is what we are supposed to do.

This means we live the mission of Jesus each day. We find ways to help. We seek ways to love unconditionally. We reveal the gift of grace God has given us to give to a hurting and broken world in need of grace and mercy.

So the challenge we all, especially me since I am the one writing this, is to look for the ways and times we have neglected to act out and reveal our faith daily. What are the opportunities we missed? Who have we chosen not to interact with?

How is God leading you to be an instrument of grace, transformation, reconciliation, and healing in this world?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Some Scriptures to ponder:

Genesis 1-2, Exodus 19-20, Deuteronomy 6, Psalm 1, 1 Samuel 16-17, Jeremiah 1, Jonah, Matthew 22, Matthew 28, Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 12-15, Hebrews 3-4, James, Revelation 21-22