I want to shout a message into the universe. I want to lay it at the feet of a lost generation. I want to burn it into the hearts of those who are slowly losing their faith. I want to pour it into the doubters, the shouters, and the rabble-rousers:
It is okay to believe the Bible.
Yes, even when the cool people get lost in the idea of it.
Even when people you know well and love and trust decide that they don’t. Even when you are assaulted daily by a barrage of messages that say that you shouldn’t.
It’s okay to believe that some things are wrong because the Bible says they are. It’s okay to learn how to love, to extend mercy and grace and forgiveness when you read and believe the words of Jesus. It really and truly is okay to believe with your whole heart that Jesus died, was buried, and was resurrected.
You may feel lost in the endless roar and white noise of a world that doesn’t believe. You may worry that you are desperately clinging to something that has had its day and is now out of touch with our society. You may lose sleep at night wondering if you really are a misogynist or a bigot or a homophobe or an idiot. But, don’t believe the name-callers. Don’t put your ear to the ground expecting to hear an approaching herd of approvers of your faith when all that is coming are more arrows, shot from a distance that is miles away from truth.
It is okay to love the truth.
This truth says we all fall short. It says to do this and not do that. But, most of all, it says that God’s grace and God’s mercy have been poured out on a weak and weary world– a world that only seems to shake its fist at the heavens.
It is okay to believe that the better way is falling on our faces before a holy God, handing over the broken pieces of our souls to the Master of putting us back together.
It is okay to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Believing the Bible doesn’t make you dumb. It doesn’t make you naive. It doesn’t make you weak. The truth is, compared to God’s infinite wisdom and strength we are already dumb, naive, and weak. And, in His true and good word we find knowledge. We find strength. We find the very heart of God, which has nothing to do with what the name-callers say it does.
It is okay to believe in His goodness.
Don’t lose heart. Don’t lose faith. Don’t lose confidence.
He is real.
It is okay to believe it.
yes! thanks for the encouraging word!
So true! After reading the, I think you’ll find interesting a post titled, “The Bible: A strange but realistically hopeful book” (http://thinkpoint.wordpress.com/2010/12/09/the-bible-a-strange-and-realistically-hopeful-book/).
I meant, “After reading ‘this'”
lovely, lovely, lovely! 😀
Thanks, blackbirdspaces!
yes! yes! yes!!! thanks for sharing your thoughts! I sometimes struggle with friends BECAUSE I believe the truth of the bible… thank you for that encouraging post!!:-) always good to see, you’re not alone!
Thank you for your comment, Luisa! I agree–it’s encouraging to find like-minded people.
EXCELLENT AND TIMELY message. It not only encourages believers to believe while not being ashamed, but it also acknowledges the daily reminders, pressures of life and the now acceptance of things contrary to what the Bible teaches. All which are pressures of life. ..making it easier not to #believe. Thank you!
Thank you, femalefootballfrenzy!
thank you for words of reassurance and sanity in a world that’s saying with a more and more unified voice that we’re crazy and even malicious to believe what we know to be true.
Amanda June, thanks so much for reading and for your comment!
Needed this, thanks. I have some family members starting to wander in a less orthodox direction and it is making me feel “close minded” and out of touch with our culture because I see everything through a biblical worldview. I’ve really been faltering lately and feeling discouraged and doubtful, so thank you.
Eva, praying that you find comfort in his word and strength in the faith He’s gifted you with!