Living by faith is and has always been a courageous way to live life. We believe in what we can't see. We trust in what we can't see. Christians are (writes Eugene H. Peterson) "persons who dare to live by the great invisibles of grace, who accept forgiveness, who believe promises, who pray. (We) daily and dangerously decide to live by faith and not by works, in hope and not in despair, by love and not hate. And (we) are daily tempted to quit."
Does that describe you? If you are a Christian, it should describe you. If it doesn't, ask Jesus why it doesn't. Cause we all can fall into fear or despair -- those are the things the world and the devil are so good at throwing our way.
And as the world continues on its downward descent into evil, our Christian witness will be more and more needed in this world. As the world grows darker our lights will shine brighter. We are in a spiritual war -- not against humans, but against unseen spiritual forces.
"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12
Peterson says to "believe more recklessly, behave more playfully -- the faith-recklessness and hope-playfulness of children entering into the kingdom of God.
How can living more playfully be a great way to fight a spiritual war? Because it is how Jesus tells us we enter the kingdom -- become like children -- the hopeful, believing, childlike-trust of a little girl or boy.
(Jesus) said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3
We are living between the beginning and the end -- we know the beginning was good (read Genesis 1) and the ending will be good (Revelation 22). This middle part can be confusing and chaotic and hard and hurtful, but because of the beginning and the end we can know for sure all of this middle living has purpose and is going the right way.
Hold onto Jesus! And live abundantly!