Is Faith Apathetic?

Is Faith Apathetic

Is faith in God apathetic? It certainly appears so at times. For this reason many have chosen to reject faith, dismissing it as lazy. The basic tenants of the Christian faith state that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8).

 Let's really examine that.

 Mankind has a natural tendency to work. This is probably because we are naturally reinforced to do so. When we work we eat. Simple as that. So is this idea of not working but instead simply believing bad psychology? If we are rewarded for doing nothing is God trying to make us spiritual couch potatoes?

 

Before I go on I would like to recognize with you that the bible doesn't teach us this at all. The book of James may be the best example to use. James was specifically challenging those that were using faith as a guise for being spiritual couch potatoes. He states that "faith without works is dead." (James 2:17) I think that we are not called to be just faithful but to be faithful workers. Not that works is our means of salvation but as a car produces fumes from it's fuel source so we too should produce works from our faith. This means taking care of the poor, loving the rejected, and serving others as Christ has served us.

If you want to be apart of a great organization that's doing just that check out  http://www.rescueher.org/

But I contest that sometimes faithful work doesn't take such an obvious form as serving in a soup kitchen. Sometimes faith looks like we're doing absolutely nothing. This can be frustrating and confusing for believers. Not to mention it makes absolutely no sense to those on the outside looking in.

I recently started a new job and while this job has been an amazing experience thus far it hasn't provided the hours I was hoping for. Long story short rent was due and it wasn't quite clear how me and my wife were going to pay it. I felt like a failure as a husband and provider. My first reaction was to go out and start finding anyway to make money. Suddenly no job was too low for me to take. Unfortunately during this time I was also very sick making it very hard for me to look presentable and near impossible to look hire-able. Never the less I made a game plan on how to go about working and getting paid soon enough to pay our rent late.

I'm not saying that anything I did was wrong in and of itself. After all the bible tells us that if a man won't work then he wont eat. (2 Thes 3:10) But I didn't ask God what He wanted me to do. I didn't even consult Him until much later.

So when I finally pulled my head far enough out of my butt to listen to God, imagine my surprise when He tells me to be still.

What?!

But Lord I'm supposed to be the provider! I'm supposed to sacrifice myself for my wife as you did! How can I just be still? Isn't that just apathetic?

It was around that time I realized how much work faith truly is. It's hard and in the words of my intellectual buddies "Faith ain't for sissies." It may seem backwards but we are told to put on the full armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-19 not that we may then charge the enemy, nor that we should run to take cover. We are told to put on the full armor of God so that we may stand firm!

Faith is not apathy. Faith is hard. Faith is courageous.

Long story short...our rent was paid this month. I'm not exactly sure how. Some forgotten paychecks came in and some random money here and there... Next months rent is coming fast and I'm on the job hunt willing to lay it all down but I'm now a little less foolish in realizing that my role as provider is to be completely dependent on the true Provider.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

 Psalms 46:10

For more about being a godly man check out my friends blog  http://groundlevelreason.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-call-to-men-part-1.html