After moving to a new place to begin my new career, I found myself asking all of these questions. I could not seem to wrap my mind around why I wasn't growing and stretching in my faith. My first (and most human-like reaction) was to blame others. I was allowing my persuasive yet devious mind to ask all the wrong questions. Does anybody care if I'm growing? Why is no one willing to ask me the tough questions? Will they ever be willing to fully dive in and invest in my faith? Why can't I rely on anyone?
Why was no one willing to go to bat to put my faith to the test? God answers clearly in 2 Corinthians 13:5-9. "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you-unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right only for the truth. We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection."
Take a deeper look at verse 5: "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves..." Do you notice how it uses "yourselves" and "you" three times?! We are being told, no, not told, but commanded, to examine ourselves, our own faith. It's time to stop allowing others to be our excuses! They are not the ones told to examine you. You are told to examine you. You may not like what you see (I don't always like what I see in myself), but at least you won't be letting Satan deceive your mind. How can you have true faith and a true relationship with Christ if you are always relying on someone else? When you rely on others will you ever have a faith of your own?
I had to admit that I wasn't alright. My faith was weak. I had to stop relying on others to give me my "perfect" faith. It left me empty because people always fail. I had to take initiative. I had to take responsibility. I had to learn how to push myself beyond the norm in my faith. I had to be willing to see and change the selfishness within my heart. In the end, God has shown me that this is my faith, my relationship with Him, my life. I still love being challenged and stretched by others He places in my life; however, I have learned to not grow reliant upon them. So, when these people fail (because they all do), I do not have to stop growing and being challenged.
How did I push myself and stretch my own faith? I gave God more of my time, the first-fruits of my time. I focused my mind on seeing the tiny blessings in each day, which God used to bring bigger blessings.
Take responsibility and initiative. Quit allowing others to be your excuse. This is your Faith. This is your Relationship with the one true God. This is your Life.
*NOTE: I am in no way suggesting that believers do not need fellowship and/or rebuking from fellow believers. We greatly need fellowship and training from others. I am only asking that you do not grow reliant on others for your faith. We need a nice balance of being challenged by fellow Christians as well as ourselves.
I'm Not Alright by Sanctus Real
