A Faith That Works (When Life Doesn't)

We don’t choose our circumstances, but we do choose how we respond. In the last few weeks our lives have changed in ways few could have imagined. It’s hard to make sense of all that’s happened. We’ve been left anxious and afraid. Disappointed and sad. Isolated and alone. It would be easy to despair.

But faith needs to work in bad times as well as good. That’s why we’re all looking for answers. How can we make sense of what’s happening? Where can we find hope for the future? And is it even possible for good to come from all this bad news?

St. Paul did not live an easy life (2 Cor. 11:24-31). Among other hardships, on more than one occasion he was arrested and put in prison. Experts tell us he spent as long as five and a half years in custody. Paul never called his hardships good, but he also didn’t find them meaningless.

Paul had a vision for life that was robust enough to find meaning even in suffering. On multiple occasions he pointed out how God was often at his creative best in bringing good out of very trying circumstances. But he did more than simply promise, “you’ll get through this.” In fact, he said, “you’ll do more than get through this; you’ll grow through this.” His was a faith that works. A faith that helps us navigate our way through whatever comes our way.

Paul learned from his suffering. His struggles clarified his understanding of and confidence in God. He grew to be a stronger and better person from his hardships. And he found purpose in life that motivated him to work hard at the things God gave him to do. In the end he found a contentment and joy that transcended circumstances.

1 Song with Devin

The songs we sing form and shape our understanding of God. Tune in to hear a short podcast about 1 favorite worship song each week.

Cultivate

You don’t have to be a gardener to enjoy what’s blooming in Minnesota in June. The sights and smells of flowers or gardens in bloom lift the spirit after harsh winters. I’m not a gardener, but I marvel at those who are. They love to get their hands dirty in the soil, carefully tending to their vulnerable seeds. With dedication, consistency, and often, at great cost, they nourish their plants, dutifully watching weather reports to ensure their garden gets the right amount of nourishing water and sun. They devise schemes to trap predators like squirrels, rabbits, and deer who pose threats to their gardens. After several weeks, their patience and care are rewarded: there are juicy fruits to enjoy, vegetables to chop for salads, and flowers that cause passersby to stop and pause, and breathe in the beauty.
                 
We each have a garden of our own to tend: a relationship with the Creator of All, who loves us and wants to see good fruit grown in our lives - fruits of sincere love, patient trust, joyful delight in God’s gifts, and purpose and meaning to our days. Those of us who have put our trust in Jesus have embarked on a lifelong journey of faith, where we seek to grow in ever-deepening trust, love, and hope in the abundant life Jesus offers. We are, in fact, in a personal relationship with God. This is sheer gift.
                  
But like any relationship, we must nourish it in order to see it grow. Like gardeners, we can’t force growth to happen and yet it surely will not happen if we don’t tend to those frail seeds, nourish the roots, give them time to grow, and be vigilant against potential enemies.  
                  
If you want to see fruit develop in your own life - if you’re interested in seeing your relationship with God grow, join us this June for our series Cultivate.