Depths of Despair

Marilla: You must be hungry.

Anne: I can't eat. I can never eat when I'm in the depths of despair.

Marilla: The depths of despair?

Anne: Can you eat when you are that way?

Marilla: I've never been that way.

Anne: Can't you even imagine you are in the depths of despair?

Marilla: No I cannot. To despair is to turn your back on God.

(Anne of Green Gables)

Unlike Marilla, I have, at times, felt like I was in the depths of despair. All too often, I'm ashamed to admit. But how she answers this question is really profound. "No I cannot. To despair is to turn your back on God."

This teaches me a great lesson about faith. There is a quote I became familiar with some time back, and it's given me a new perspective on faith.

Worrying is a form of atheism. I don't understand people who call themselves Christian or Buddhist or Muslim or whatever and worry. Because you cannot believe in a power  greater than yourself and worry. It does not compute.

-Oprah Winfrey

I have thought about this concept often. Either I believe God loves me and is looking out for me, or I don't. How is it I cry and stress over things I know the Lord has promised me? Either I believe He will come through on His promises, or I don't.

I let my own fears and doubts completely wash away my faith in Him, in His plan, in His love.

This concept is something I've thought about a lot the last while. But it wasn't until last Tuesday, in an Institute class at the U, that the professor said something that really, really hit home. Something I've heard many times before. But, alas, never really hit home.

Learning by faith is living by faith. IT IS AN ACTION.

It is not enough to pray for more faith, or to try and think things with more faith. It is necessary to go forward in faith. 


Faith is an action.


That is my new mantra. 


From now on and forever, I will go forward with faith. I will not pray for something, and doubt and question and back-step and rethink, waiting, hoping for some divine confirmation. I'll go forward with faith, and through the action of performing faith, my faith, and my end results will be far optimum. 


Yeah, baby.


Love,
Brittney