🕯️ Faith in the Fog 🕯️

Ever feel like you’re riding through thick, heavy fog? You know the road is beneath you, but you can only see a couple of feet in front of your headlight at a time.

That is the reality of faith. We are moving toward a certain destination, but we have to navigate total uncertainty to get there.

Often, we get sold a "health and wealth" map that tells us we can just "name it and claim it" or "blab it and grab it." Wouldn't it be nice if we could do that? Our walk would be much easier! But when we can't maintain that artificial standard, anxiety immediately kicks in. We stress over every mistake and trial, feeling like we are failing the test.

We tend to forget what the Lord Jesus Christ actually said: "In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).

Here is how the perspective changes when we look closer at the scriptures:

The Perfection Trap vs. Maturity: In Matthew 5:48, Jesus says, "You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." No wonder we get anxious! But in the original Greek context, that word perfect is teleios, meaning mature, complete, or fulfilling your purpose. God isn't demanding a flawless, mistake-free ride; He is inviting us on a journey to maturity..

Perseverance, Not Perfection: Life's bumps aren't there to penalise us. James 1:3-4 tells us, "the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." Romans 5:3 reminds us that "suffering produces endurance." True maturity is built through the bumpy patches, not the smooth ones.

Seeing Dimly: We don't need to see the whole route to be safe. 1 Corinthians 13:12 openly admits, "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face." Now it's like a foggy road we only need enough light for the next two feet ahead; the full map will make sense at the end of the journey.

True "Shalom": This leads to the promise of Isaiah 26:3: "You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." In the original Hebrew, "perfect peace" is written as Shalom, Shalom—signifying absolute wholeness and completion. True peace doesn't mean the fog suddenly clears. It means you can be completely whole and steady right in the middle of the mess, because you trust the One who guides you.

If you are feeling anxious about not being "perfect" today, take your hand off the throttle . You are a work in progress. Just grip the handlebars, trust the One who guides you, and ride the next two feet. 🕎

mark@doctrinematters.co.uk

Doctrine Matters

Jeremiah 6:16

“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.”

King James Version