Sunday, March 10, 2024
“Full-Time Faith”
On this third Sunday in Lent, our Challenge is to become a person of God, all the time.
This Challenge probably sounds awkward. Most people of Faith are intentional about their beliefs. They praise God. They give thanks to God for the blessings they receive. They look to the LORD for help with problems and plead to the LORD for peace, healing, and wellness.
That being said, I know how difficult it is to remain a person of Faith, all the time. Even as an experienced pastor, I struggle with it every day. When I finish my day with my prayer journal, I reflect on the day. I’ll remember circumstances when I could’ve reacted more appropriately and I reflect on the moments where my statements and response could’ve been more Faithful. The sum of the day is often eye-opening, reminding me how challenging it is to keep God first in my life, all the time.
Full-time faith isn’t easy for anyone. I’m willing to share my own struggles because I want other folks to know that it’s okay to struggle. Like you, I want to be a better person of God and do life better. Writing these devotions helps me because I need to believe and act upon the things I write. You probably have similar situations in your life, and as you and I both know, it’s nearly impossible to think and do all things correctly the first time.
Today’s Challenge is to practice full-time Faith. Nobody is going to grade your results. Nobody is going to check your Faithfulness. Everyone can succeed at this because nobody is perfect. We’re going to mess up and we’re going to fall short. However, God knows these things and God knows the challenges we face. God isn’t expecting us to be perfect. Instead, God is hoping that we will become the best WE can be.
Today, let’s make a commitment to the LORD to be the best we can be, all the time. Perfection is not the goal. The goal is to put God first and keep God there. If we happen to trip and fall, so be it. Jump back up again and get moving, with God first.
The intent matters but the effort is what counts. Practice Full-Time Faith, and start today!
“Commit your way to the LORD! Trust GOD! The LORD will act and will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, your justice like high noon.” (Psalm 37:5-6, CEB)
