Processing Faith

A good frind of mine asked me how I process my faith....   I replied by writing the following...

 I was watching a documentary on the Monarch butterfly and its migration. They winter in Mexico and summer in Canada...  Amazing that such a fragile creature can make it 3500 miles...  What I did not know that I found completely amazing was that it takes up to 5 generations of butterflies to make the journey each way.

 That means that when each butterfly leaves Canada and heads South... It will be the great-great-great grandson that will actually finish the journey. Think about what that means in regards to faith.  Each successive generations completely depends on faith in its instinctual genetic makeup in order to have lived.. and allow each successive generation afterward to live.  Oh that I could have the kind of faith in God.

 When I reflected on the film I found myself thinking about the idea of dying to self.  How each generation of butterfly travels as far as it can and then mates.. and dies... and leaves it to the next generation to further the journey.  I wonder if each version of our self is like a generation of butterfly that must die so that we can be reborn a little more closely in God's image.

 Your question called to mind 3 verses...

 1.)    Now faith is substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

 2.)    The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

 3.)    Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light

 I truly believe that God wants a good full life for each of us.  I believe that Satan intercedes by lying at every opportunity.  He attacks us at our weakest points...  Where pride, or vanity, or selfishness, or fear can be used as a wedge to separate us from God and from each other.  The funny thing is that he promises us that his way.. The way of the lie... (believing

 his lies.. (You're not smart, you're too fat, no one loves you, you are too good for them, or you're not good enough for them.. etc.) is easier.  And it feels easier sometimes... At first.  But it always ends up being harder and heavier, and marked by distrust, shame, anxiety, and fear.  It ends up separating us from each other, from love, and from God.  Eve wanted to be a

 God.  It wasn't enough to be happy in the Garden.  The lie.

 How do I process faith...  I think I am learning not to process it at all. I am learning to just have it and act on it.  To act in and out of faith. We can get as cerebral about it as we want to...  I think that itself is trap dressed up in lies of.. you're not smart enough.. or you can think your way through this..  But still a trap all the same.  I believe that you can easily spot those who have strong faith..  "You will know them by their

 love..."  Love of themselves and love of others.  (They will lack anxiety, worry, pretentiousness, anger, and vanity and have humility, kindness, honesty, and dress and act demurely)

 I am trying to fully adopt Nike's slogan when it comes to processing my Faith.

 Just Do It.