Posted by PS on January 10, 2003 at 08:08:42:
In Reply to: Relating to the 'Point of View' posted by jason on January 09, 2003 at 12:54:49:
: If I step back and look at this as a whole, I start to realize that there is a common thread in all of these thoughts, questions, confusions, ponderings, ad infinitum. It is that God is at the center.
This is exactly the conclusion I have come to. In those areas where my doubts and questions still have no answers, I continually find God with me, throughout the search; God remains present without my understanding. In those stuations where I have repeatedly failed to attain that what I sought, God continually finds me in my failure, and draws me near; God remains powerful without my success.
: The reason I was concerned about my early Christian "deficiencies" was because I wanted an intimate relationship with my Maker. The reason I think through things to the infinitesimal essence is because I want to know Truth. I question myself because I want no enmity to exist between us. I seek perfection, because He is Perfection perfected -- by the same token, I seek forgiveness, because He is Love. This is worship - acknowledging God for who He is. Whether we are conscious of it or not we worship him by living our lives according to the desires which He has instilled in us AND by availing our desires to be molded.
Yes! I think you have touched on two important things:
The desire IS the essence of faith, and the pursuit IS the action of faith (no matter how unsuccessful we feel). Faith is not the attaining of the goal, per se, though it will result in it.
The desire in us is proof of the reality of God's calling and working in our lives. (The sinful nature does not desire such things; it must be the Spirit!) As God's purposes cannot be thwarted, neither will there be a thwarting of the victory that is ordained (no matter how defeated we feel).