I wrote a blog recently on an upcoming National Geographic documentary produced by Morgan Freeman called “The Story of God.” The show features different world religions and from studies of these religions try to interpret the function that God plays in society. In the show God is reduced to nothing but a tool- a means for people to build illusions of order and hope.
Morgan Freeman is one of today’s most renown atheists. He once told The Wrap that God is an invention that man made to make life more bearable. I’m a Christian, obviously, and some people didn’t like the fact that a Christian was writing about an atheist television series. Why?
My blog was seen as a challenge directed towards Christians. And the truth of the matter is that it was a challenge. I wrote that article to do that specifically- to challenge people’s faith. Not to shake people off their faith, but to help them strengthen it some more.
Apparently, not a lot of people liked that, and soon my post was filled with rejections and reactions. One person told me that I shouldn’t challenge faith, and “just have believe in God.”
Tension. Faith and Challenges.
So many Christians today are stuck in the notion that our faith in God should not be challenged. And as true as it is that faith in God should not be questioned- questioning faith and challenging faith are two different things, folks.
Whether we like it or not, our faith will be challenged. Maybe not by me, maybe not by a blog post, maybe not by Morgan Freeman, but at some point your faith will be challenged. Often a lot of Christians start trying to slither their way out of situations when things get tough. We often try to find the quickest fix, a way out of the messy mix. We don’t like it when our faith is challenged.
But truth be told, there is no way to escape a challenge to faith. Everyone’s faith gets challenged. The question is, what do you do when your faith gets double dared?
Friends, the time will come that your faith will be tested, and maybe some of you already have your faith being put on the line. I want to tell you today that that is completely normal. Not only is it just business as usual, it is the number one business we are in. We are in the business of getting challenged.
John 16:33 says “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
At one point, we’ve all faced challenges, and it’s always going to keep coming. You’re going to get sick. You’re job is going to get tough. Your kids are going to give you headaches. We will all experience trials, and that’s because God wants to strengthen our faith- not in ourselves, but on the finished work of Christ on the cross.
Is your faith getting challenged? Take heart in knowing that in the end, Jesus has already won it all for you.