You would think I would be better prepared for writing this blog, having had an extra week to garner material but, as usual, I find myself writing this at the 11th hour. Ok, the 9th hour (and it should be the 8th as the clocks have gone forward) but you get what I mean.
So the last session on FIC was entitled 'Choosing to believe the truth'. In a nutshell, we are all putting faith in something (even atheists), It is what you chose to put your faith in that makes it effective. We are only, after all, believing what is already true.
And a very important aspect is that, as the illustration above shows, behaviour follows belief, (your actions reveal what you actually believe) and feelings follow behaviour.
I found that last bit particularly profound. If I want to see where my faith is really lying I need to look at my behaviour. That was rather frightening. It is so important to not live out of feelings (which makes for a very inconsistent type of walk) but to live out of faith in what is really true.
So it follows naturally that what is at the top of the tree is extremely important. What we hold to be true will define us. There are no shortcuts and the truth is apparent in the fruit we bear.
If you think about how important this is (everything flows from it) the significance of the 'homework' becomes apparent. This time we were reading out of a list of 20 'cans' of success.
Something to say about this is, I have been fine so far, declaring who God is. Declaring who I am 'In Christ', from the week previously, was a little trickier but it was clearly based on the character of God and the enormity of the salvation Jesus acquired for us. I can go there. But this 'success' thing was harder for me. The sense of entitlement that has to come with that is something I really struggle with. In my cultural experience entitlement is something to be shunned. there is even a Christian veneer to my dislike of it. It is more humble to be self effacing and deferential, surely?
But it shows, on reflection, that I haven't really grasped the first 2 exercises. To understand Father completely must mean that we understand what he gives to his children. Not leaving us as orphans, he gives us his spirit, and all the riches that go with that. To be God's child is a truly wonderful experience. To accept, with true humility and thankfulness what he gives us, is a privilege of the highest kind. This boldness of access we may now have, blows my mind.
I Think that the course is really helping in grounding my understanding in the Character of God. It is raising my expectations and faith levels. The truth is informing my beliefs, which in turn influence my behaviour and, increasingly, I feel good.
I cant wait to see where this is going next. See you in a week.
So the last session on FIC was entitled 'Choosing to believe the truth'. In a nutshell, we are all putting faith in something (even atheists), It is what you chose to put your faith in that makes it effective. We are only, after all, believing what is already true.
And a very important aspect is that, as the illustration above shows, behaviour follows belief, (your actions reveal what you actually believe) and feelings follow behaviour.
I found that last bit particularly profound. If I want to see where my faith is really lying I need to look at my behaviour. That was rather frightening. It is so important to not live out of feelings (which makes for a very inconsistent type of walk) but to live out of faith in what is really true.
So it follows naturally that what is at the top of the tree is extremely important. What we hold to be true will define us. There are no shortcuts and the truth is apparent in the fruit we bear.
If you think about how important this is (everything flows from it) the significance of the 'homework' becomes apparent. This time we were reading out of a list of 20 'cans' of success.
Something to say about this is, I have been fine so far, declaring who God is. Declaring who I am 'In Christ', from the week previously, was a little trickier but it was clearly based on the character of God and the enormity of the salvation Jesus acquired for us. I can go there. But this 'success' thing was harder for me. The sense of entitlement that has to come with that is something I really struggle with. In my cultural experience entitlement is something to be shunned. there is even a Christian veneer to my dislike of it. It is more humble to be self effacing and deferential, surely?
But it shows, on reflection, that I haven't really grasped the first 2 exercises. To understand Father completely must mean that we understand what he gives to his children. Not leaving us as orphans, he gives us his spirit, and all the riches that go with that. To be God's child is a truly wonderful experience. To accept, with true humility and thankfulness what he gives us, is a privilege of the highest kind. This boldness of access we may now have, blows my mind.
I Think that the course is really helping in grounding my understanding in the Character of God. It is raising my expectations and faith levels. The truth is informing my beliefs, which in turn influence my behaviour and, increasingly, I feel good.
I cant wait to see where this is going next. See you in a week.
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