Training Camp: Busted Comfort Zone #4: Faith

This blog is the hardest one to write but it is also the most important.

I came into Training Camp knowing it would be a tremendous challenge and I knew I would have to eat weird foods and stay in weird places. I knew I would meet new people and hoped we would love each other instantly. I even knew I would be asked to step out of my comfort zone in regards to my faith. But I had no idea the extent of it.

You see, I've had a lot of pride in my faith. That's pretty hypocritical isn't it? I've been a Christian my entire life. I accepted Christ when I was 7 and lived the "good Christian girl" life for many, many years. I didn't know it at the time, but I thought by following all the "rules" that I had a relationship with Christ. I thought I knew the Gospel and that Jesus was super happy with me. Oh wow, I could not have been more wrong. I had replaced faith with following a set of rules. I think if we're honest with ourselves, a lot of us do that. It's so much easier to have check list of do's and don'ts than actually trust. Than actually have faith in Someone we haven't seen with our own eyes.

God woke me up to my legalism-soaked Christianity at Passion 2011 and I haven't been the same since. Praise the Lord for how He's taught me and grown me since those incredible few days. And since then I have been at Shorter where I have been surrounded by people who worship the same way I do and believe the same way I do. I've been to Passion City Church where I trust their belief system and stand beside their teachings and worship. I've chosen to stick withe people that have a faith that fits into what I deem as acceptable and "right".

Well, let me tell you, the World Race does not fit into my happy little mold. And it honestly made me mad. Sounds pretty ridiculous doesn't it? I had always known this, but I didn't expect my reaction to be so awful. I think the reason I reacted so poorly was because they caused me to look at my faith. They caused me to say that maybe I've put our glorious, amazing, awesome God in my own little box. I never wanted to admit it. I never wanted to acknowledge my lack of faith, but at Training Camp I was forced into it. 

This story in Mark has always struck a cord with me. Here is a father telling Jesus of his son who has evil spirits living inside of Him. The disciples had tried to cast them out, but their lack of faith couldn't do it. So the father pretty sheepisly asks Jesus if he can cast out the evil spirits. He sort of apologizes for the bold request by saying:  "But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us."
So Jesus kind of scoffs at this remark and says "'If you can'?" "Everything is possible for him who believes."
Immediately the boy's father exclaimed,"I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:22-24