What brands do you associate with?
Faith: Hebrews 11:1
I know lots of people say it until it’s become cliched, but faith in God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit is vital for me. This Holy Trinity is my confidence, my hope, and my assurance that I can and will live a full and rich spiritual life.
When I talk of faith, I mean a faith that not only is in God, but from God. That faith in God means also freedom.
Freedom: Galatians 5:1
My son several weeks ago passionately with a broken heart and broken spirit denounced his faith in God to me. His reasoning is because for years he felt no freedom to be himself, bound by impossible expectations for any human being. He controlled the narrative so much that I couldn’t or he wouldn’t let me explain that I knew how he felt because I had felt the same.
I grew up and brought him up in what I am going to call a performance based religious environment. Saved by grace was taught and believed, but following that introduction to the God of love and grace was a life of constant effort to maintain a relationship with God through Do’s and Don’ts which is extra-biblical teachings.
I don’t place any blame on my pastors and teachers. They contributed to my misconceptions sometimes. I had the Truth, but placed my faith on my performance. It is a total misunderstanding of Who God is and what He requires. The beginning of knowledge is fear of the Lord. Fear was misunderstood by me and I believe my son and many others.
The beginning of knowledge is “yirah,” a Hebrew word which means reverence and awe as well as fear. I reverence my God and my awe is based on faith in his unconditional love and never ending grace for me and all mankind. This simple knowledge of God frees me to trust that my performance, imperfect as it is, does not alter his love for me. I have also learned that when I miss the mark, God will use the circumstances that causes to teach or disciple me.
Open-mindedness: Romans 12:1,2
Above all, it frees my mind of trying to figure out and just allow Him to teach me his will. I still have much to learn. I also know that learning may also come with some growing pains.
Because His wisdom tells me I will stumble and fall due to pride of life, lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, I know others will, too. Their humanness may cause me to be misunderstood, look foolish in their eyes, or even hurt me. My shortcomings don’t change his love for me or for them. Because He loves them, even hating what they do, I can eventually with His spirit give them grace.
I’m going to confess to you, I still have some Spiritual growing to do to love some of those who hurt me, my loved ones, or the innocent, the weak, and needy. By the grace of God, it’ll come in due time.
O.F.F. – 2 Peter 1:5-9
Open-mindedness to the will of God and the common struggles brought on by the world order for all of us; the freedom to entrust my life completely to God to guide me into the fullness of life, and the faith that God will lovingly guide each step are the brands with which I associate. I’m not perfect, but I’m loved unconditionally and my love of God and others is improving.
Categories: Brand Recognition
Douglas Knight
I have the rich life full of a sinner wounded by misunderstanding and punishment but blessed by mercy and forgiveness.
Knight Writer 