Faith Is More Than Memorizing Bible Verses
“But Moses said in the Lord’s presence, ‘Since I am a poor speaker, why would Pharaoh listen to me?’”
Throughout my ministry, I’ve heard well-meaning church members complain, saying, “I wish ministers would stop preaching on psychology and get back to the Bible.” Whether my explanations were inadequate or they couldn’t change their religious paradigm, I was rarely able to persuade them to embrace a wider understanding of faith. Preaching and broader forms of religious understanding are not limited by memorizing Biblical passages or affirming the correct theological statements. Instead, faith requires us to bring all our humanity to the embrace of God.
I started reading Angela Duckworth’s popular book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Duckworth uses personal and academic examples to explain why some people achieve their goals and dreams, while others fail to meet their expectations. In the simplest terms, natural ability is not as essential to long-term success as a “combination of passion and perseverance that made high achievers special. In a word, they had grit.” Everyone will, at some point, be challenged, struck down, or dismissed. The question is whether the person has the “grit” necessary to keep trying or give up.
The well-meaning complainers would say, “Why am I reading a devotion about grit? That isn’t Biblical!” My response, “malarkey!” It took grit for Moses to face down Pharaoh. It took grit for Elisha to watch his mentor, Elijah, depart in a fiery chariot, leaving him to continue confronting King Jehoram, the son of King Ahab, about his idolatry. It took grit for Stephen to accept martyrdom while retaining faith. It took grit for Paul to continue his missionary work, knowing it would lead to imprisonment. Grit was a requirement for the faithful Biblical figures.
Lifelong study and new intellectual challenges are acts of faith. Contemplating our actions and intentions is a vital spiritual activity. Knowing what one believes is essential, but it is not the entirety of Christian faith. Inviting our intellect, our emotional presets, and our societal biases is necessary so we can offer our whole selves to God, trusting that the Holy Spirit will work in and through us. When we nurture learning and personal evaluation in faith, we will experience God more deeply.
