What Do We Believe?

Sometimes we get a little scared...I get that. Sometimes things are shaky...I get that too. And yeah, sometimes things are a little ambiguous...like this blog post so far!

But sometimes...we just have to have faith. And sometimes we have to know what our culture knows so that we can have honest, intelligent, rational conversations about it.

And yes, there is evil in this world. And yes, our enemy does like to pervert the Truth. And of course, we are all tempted by different things, have different weaknesses and varying degrees of spiritual maturity.

Case and point: I do not watch the same types of TV shows or movies that I used to. Over the years, as I've grown deeper in my walk, Holy Spirit has challenged me about the junk I watch and the images that are replayed in my mind. So, yes...I totally understand why people have different convictions regarding media, books and even music. (The key here is, the Holy Spirit convicted me!)

But have you ever even taken a look at a banned book list? Little House on the Prairie is on there, for pete's sake. I mean, instead of reading it with school children and explaining why early settlers were scared of Native Americans and challenging them to use their critical thinking skills as to the reasons why Native Americans weren't nice to the whites that were taking over their lands...let's just not read the book, because it might offend someone's sensibilities.

And as Christians...sometimes can we admit we go off the deep end? I will! I was an obnoxious parent that said I would never let my children read any Harry Potter book...ever! And then my very practical, husband said, "I think you'd like them." He was right. What amazing lessons about sacrificial living for others, how we go wrong in our own selfish pursuits, how people laying down their lives for others is what God calls all of us to do...I could have completely missed the opportunity to share these lessons with my children had I not allowed the possibility that God's Spirit can even work through secular media.

One time in a book group we led, a Christian man was talking about reading the Koran so that he would understand his co-worker's religion and could then have rational conversations with him about the difference between Allah and the God we worship. His comment, "Yes, it is possible to take Jesus with you when you read the Koran," has stuck with me some 6 years later.

So I guess my real question is this...is it possible in our time and in this world, to live so radically close to God's Holy Spirit that we can trust Him to show us what is truth and what is not? Feel free to comment to this post...I'm truly seeking some open dialogue on this.

Last thought on this, I promise...God's Spirit is never the author of fear, doubt or worry...that comes from someone else. So if I'm living my life, sheltered and secluded because I'm afraid that what I'm exposed to will cause me to doubt God...then maybe I need to ask myself a few questions. Do I trust the One I call Lord to keep me from tripping up would be a good place to start!