Superstitious Faith

I’m writing to you today from the beautifully calm waters of Lake Erie. Oh how I love to be up here! As I have said before, being on open water refreshes my soul. It opens my lungs and broadens my view. It reminds me of how small I am verses how wonderfully expansive He is. I am always so grateful for my time on the water.

As I often like to do, I’m thinking of the goodness of the Lord. I’m also thinking of how misunderstood He can be. That, of course, causes distance between His heart and the hearts of those He loves and as you already know, it’s a passion of mine to help bridge that distance. In my own way, I try to help others see Him as He is – as I have been so very blessed to see. Because that is refreshment like no other. It expands our views (and our hearts) more than beautiful blue water as far as one can see.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how we often treat faith as superstition, seldom stopping to think of how deeply our thoughts affect our well- being. We also seldom notice our words, even though we’ve been taught there’s power in them…the power of life or death (Proverbs 18:21).

Scripture isn’t saying we’re likely to kill with our thoughts and our words but it IS saying there’s a very real connection between them and our spiritual, emotional and physical health. I have found this to be true in my own life.

I hear Christians say things like this:

“God is punishing me.”

“I must be cursed.”

Even,

“I hate my life.”

In all honesty, I’ve thought and said these things before, as well. But then I started listening to the loving advice from some of my favorite preachers who have taught me to really listen to my thoughts and be careful with my words.

Why?

Because out of the mouth flows the issues of the heart.

How we see our Father in heaven will make its way out of our mouths and will very much determine how we live and how healthy we will be. For instance, if you tend to think God is always displeased with you, you will live like you’re cursed. You will perpetually struggle with feelings of guilt and believe everything negative that happens is a result of His displeasure. This type of thinking snowballs until you become one of those people who could win the lotto and still find a reason to be miffed about it.

That type of “faith” also tends to lead to a superstitious-type relationship with God. You’ll live like He’s heavily scrutinizing every little step you take and as soon as you slip from His standards, you’ll wait for the blow. You’re sure it’s coming. It puts you on edge.

Do you see how that type of thinking can’t possibly produce anything good? It’s not at all how He wants you to live. You can’t be sound or nourished and you can’t even produce real affection for Him or anyone else when you live that way. You’ll mostly be thinking of yourself and the hoops you need to jump through to keep yourself from punishment.

Imagine for a second you’re God. How do we think that looks to Him? He wants to love us. He longs to embrace us and lead us into the fullness and abundance His Son bought for us on the cross…

and we’re just hoping we can make it through the day without a smiting.

And then there’s our words.

The more we say we’re being punished, the more we will believe it. The more we say we’re cursed, the more we essentially are. Saying we’re “cursed” is an invitation for the enemy to work in our lives.

The Bible doesn’t make this a secret:

God responds to faith.

Faith is clearly the better invitation. It is the invitation for Him to come into our lives and hearts and do what He does best…

love, heal, protect and restore.

It’s up to us to be made new. He’s done His part. And He eagerly waits for us to have a real relationship with Him; one that looks nothing like superstition.

So let’s listen to our thoughts. And to our words. Let’s believe in His good heart because He is trustworthy and faithful. He is love (1 John 4:8). Everything that encourages the soul is everything He is.

The understanding of that changes not only our lives but the lives of those around us.

Blessings to you, my friends. Hope your day feels like blue skies and open water wherever you are and whatever you’re doing. And as always, I hope you know His love. I encourage you, only because I speak from experience, not to live as though you’re a bother to God but to live knowing you’re His precious child. This is scriptural so I feel confident in sharing this.

I hope you feel the confidence to receive!