What Resists Faith from the Challenges of this Material Age

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Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

There is no doubt that believers today are facing major and severe challenges, but the sacred history confirms that there is no age in which faith lives without facing real difficulties, so we can almost see the word of Jesus Christ, glory be to Him, being fulfilled every day. “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulations: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

In fact, we should not call the word “challenges” the external difficulties and variables, but rather what resists faith from within the human heart. These challenges must be stopped and carefully diagnosed and dealt with seriously. In the following lines, we try to touch on the most important of those challenges and examine our hearts in their light: This material age

What Resists Faith from the Challenges of this Material Age

Fear

A human feeling that has deep roots in the human soul, and it is no wonder that the Holy Bible is filled with its covenants with the phrase ‘Do not be afraid. Fear is a real challenge to faith, and if it exceeds the limit, faith is wasted.

Here we stop before Jairus, the head of the synagogue, who faced an experience whose cruelty is known to some, who experienced the incurable disease of one of their young sons and came close to death after the doctors failed.

There was nothing left but faith in Jesus, and when he resorted to him, he found others racing to prevent him from disturbing the teacher because the pleasure of his liver had died, racing to crush his faith with the enormous human fear in the face of the specter of death. His daughter’s life is the fruit of faith. In fact, there is no person who is not afraid, but faith is the solid shield that overcomes fear.

Doubt

If doubt was only to search for certainty, the challenge would be easy, as was the case with Thomas the Apostle, who cried a believer in front of the concrete truth, but the real challenge is in the one who adopts doubt as a doctrine, no matter how clear the truth is.

They are unable to adopt a position or believe in anything spiritually or worldly for fear of the obligation that faith imposes in life, and they will become a cause of stumbling for others. “And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.” Matthew 28:17 “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” Luke 7:23

Despair

It is the loss of hope resulting from the cruelty of trials or sin or both, and here we stop before Peter as he suffers the ordeal of surrendering Christ to death and also his denial of it, which Jesus previously mentioned ‘And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:‘ Luke 22:31.

Peter had faith backed by hope, according to Christ, by which he defeated despair and overcame the challenge, unlike Judas, whose despair led him to suicide and eternal destruction.

Double Knowledge

Ignorance of the Word of God, of His measures and interventions in history, of His work in His holy men, and above all, the knowledge of Jesus Christ is a real challenge to faith. Faith reaches only through the knowledge of Jesus Christ through Peter the Apostle.

Thus, the Holy Church emphasizes the importance of the ministry of the Word and Christian education for young and old as well and invites everyone to continually contemplate the Word of God. ‘So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.’ Romans 10:17.

Hardness of Heart

At first, it begins with the willful disregard for the Word and the truth that does not satisfy us or requires sacrifices. With time, the heart becomes hardened from realizing it or feeling it and accepting it, so that harshness becomes a challenge to faith.

‘Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.’ John 18:38, it is necessary ‘While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.‘ Heb 15:3

No, Thanks

Thanksgiving is a wonderful act of faith that recognizes that God is the source of all good and that he is worthy of praise for his countless blessings and an acknowledgment of human weakness and his constant need for him, and it also opens the treasuries of divine grace. Here we must review the ten lepers who were isolated outside the villages.

Jesus healed them with a word from Him after their supplication with a cry to Him, and only one Samaritan person returned thanks by falling with his face at his feet! ” And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.” Luke 17:19, let us give thanks to God at all times because He deserves all thanks, glorification, and praise from the bottom of our hearts.

Schizophrenia Spiritual

Many believers these days suffer from a widening gap between their lives inside and outside the church, between what they say and what they do, so their faith does not exceed the theoretical and formal scope, so let us remember that “No one who says to me “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21, our faith in these circumstances must go beyond the scope of personal interest and comfort.

Inaction, Laziness, and Indifference

It has become a phenomenon in contemporary life as a whole, in spiritual and worldly matters as well.

The divine and ecclesiastical commandments are prolonged, praying in the least amount, fasting in the easiest and least form, and practicing the sacraments at intervals, and the word of God is confusing passages in the mind, and in general, the prepared things are better than what is prepared, and comfort is a lofty goal.

This course of life challenges life by faith. The Father announced the birth of his beloved Son to watchful shepherds guarding the sheep, choosing those who work hard, diligence, vigil, and honesty, and not for the sleeping lazy.

Spiritual schizophrenia: Excessive preoccupation with matter and the inability to be satisfied drains a lot of minds, time, and effort, “And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” (Luke 12:15), and it leads man away from the path of God, despite the importance of many affairs in life, do not forget. ‘But one thing is needful.‘. (Luke 10:42) Let us learn to be satisfied at all times, and our ambition should not be met with a price that would injure our faith.

Surface

Unfortunately, some tend to the easy life, shallow thoughts, constant entertainment, and even sacrifice some principles and commandments for the sake of enjoying life, so that the less important matters are replaced by the most important, and that becomes a lifestyle that challenges life by faith. Luke 5:4 Staying on the shore will not bear fruit and faith will not grow.

We seek to convert with all our hearts to God with faith, and then we must review ourselves and evaluate the challenges facing our faith, whether we mention them here or not, because faith is the only and sure salvation for us in those harsh days, and it is able to lead us in the heart of the dark darkness and even helps us to lead others as well and to work the apostle Paul’s commandment:

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye, not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?’ 2 Corinthians 13:5

Father Pius Farah Edmond

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