Real Faith Is Hard Work: Meandering Thoughts Along the Way

By Michelle Merrin

Salvation is the finished work of God through Christ’s death and resurrection, given freely along with the faith to receive it. But the daily working-out of faith in the trenches and choices of life can be hard work. Suitable for devotional use, the short readings in Real Faith is Hard Work are a collection of the author’s thought-provoking blogposts, combining truth from God’s Word with stories and practical examples to encourage you in various aspects of your walk of faith.

“Michelle’s succinct and articulate reflections share truth with clarity, making me want to read, reflect, reread, and keep applying what she writes. She has gained a heart of wisdom by journeying with the Lord throughout her life, shining a bright light for us all and providing the shovel so I can dig deeper into my heart.”
—Karen Farris, Blogger at Friday Tidings

“Michelle has an honest and real approach, and she clings to the Word of God as her anchor. Her maturity in Christ and love for his Word are contagious.”
—Lydia Sanders, Pastor’s wife / Women’s Ministry leader

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 4, 2018
• ISBN: 9781973639299

Michelle Merrin

Michelle Merrin has always enjoyed writing but feels especially blessed to be used by God in this season of life as an author, blogger, and speaker. She is passionate about God’s Word and how it touches our daily lives through the Spirit’s work. Her writings, including her first book, A Faith of a Different Color, and her online blog, Faith Meanderings, discuss the Christian walk in honest language and apply the Word in practical ways to real life. She regularly leads women’s Bible studies and has mentored several younger women. Michelle and her husband, Ron, have two grown sons and recently began the wonderful journey of being grandparents.

Book preview

Copyright © 2018 Michelle Merrin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-3928-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-3930-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-3929-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018913677

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/3/2018

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

The Foundation of Faith: What We Trust

Thinking about Truth

Got Answers?

The Voice of Truth

Passing the Torch of Truth

Thinking about Who God Is and What He Does

What God is Like

Loved by God

Choosing Who to Believe

Cosmic Battle

Time Marches On

Perspective is Everything

Master Designer

Colliding with God’s Sovereignty

God’s Healing Presence

The Usefulness of Brokenness

Enjoying God’s Creation

Tired but Joyful!

Hidden in My Heart

The Colors of Fall

In God We Trust?

Nothing New Under the Sun

The Responses of Faith: How We Live

Thinking about Our Daily Walk

No Other Gods?

Discipleship is Serious Business

Proceed at Your Own Risk

Living with Purpose

The Best-Laid Plans

Food for Thought

Choose Your Thoughts Wisely

Bring On the Peace and Joy!

Days Gone By

Dealing with Disappointment

When Discouragement Comes Knocking

The Power of Hope

In Light of Eternity

The Privilege of Prayer

Choosing God’s Redemption in Our Losses

Joy is the Flag

Worship in the Twenty-First Century

Rethinking the Great Commission

Everyone Needs to Hear Good News

Shining Light into Darkness

This World is Not My Home

Thinking about Politics and Social Issues

The Fallacy of Freedom

Grace and/or Truth

Finding Truth in a Relative Culture

Truth vs. Culture, Part Two

Choosing to Be Countercultural

What Would Jesus Do?

God’s on His Throne!

Thinking about Relationships

Relationship Issues

Beyond I Do

I Have No Greater Joy

Celebrating a Milestone!

Adopted!

Thinking about Holidays

Wide Awake to God’s Work

To Be or Not To Be

The Heart of the Matter

Happy Valentine’s Day

Easter Grace

The Most Important Week

Resurrection Power

Lost Traditions

The Best Father

Freedom Can Be Messy

Is Labor Day Biblical?

Choosing a Thanksgiving Focus

Giving Thanks No Matter What

Having a Grateful Heart

Thinking Like a Homeless Person

Decorations

Loving Christmas for the Right Reasons

Preparing for Christmas

Don’t Forget What Really Matters

Christmas Contentment

How’s Your Christmas Joy?

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Endnotes

About the Author

Preface

God often uses interesting methods to guide our paths. Sometimes the way is crystal clear, and sometimes the way seems cloudy. I don’t always like the cloudy way because I have to step out in faith without knowing the final outcome; and, for me, being a writer is often more cloudy than crystal clear.

Before I wrote my first book, my intention for years was to write a completely different book. But as life continued to happen in the meantime, God steered me in a new direction. After that book was published, I spoke at a few women’s retreats and continued to think about the possibility of still putting my first ideas into print. In the meantime, I started an online blog and wrote two-three times a month as the Lord directed. Each week I asked him to give me a topic or subject matter to write about. If I didn’t feel clear about his direction, I didn’t write. A few dozen people read my blog each week, and a few commented or expressed approval on social media.

I continued to sense a closed door regarding my original book idea, yet I wanted to write another book. The way was cloudy, not crystal clear. I discussed this with no one – not even my husband. Then God decided it was time to clear away the clouds. One day I suddenly had the inspiration to write this book – a collection of many of my previous blogposts. As happened with my first book, I immediately had a title and a plan. It felt like it was from God, but I resolved as I always do to pray about it for a while. But when I told my husband that evening, he informed me that he had specifically prayed that morning for me to get an idea for a new book that God wanted me to write! When God makes the path crystal clear, it is unmistakable.

Armed with the assurance of God’s direction, this book is being given in love to all who choose to read. I am convinced that faith has never been more challenging in Western culture than it is in the twenty-first century we live in. There are just so many competing options and choices that previous generations did not face. My prayer is that these individual blogposts written over the course of a few years will resonate with you as you put in the hard work of real faith – remembering that God is working in you as you work out your faith on a daily basis:¹

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.          (Philippians 2:12b–13, ESV)

Acknowledgments

First and foremost, I am so grateful to my heavenly Father for the gift of salvation through faith that allows me direct access into his throne room and an ongoing, living, daily relationship with him, now and forever – and for the gifts of his Spirit and his Word. Thank you for choosing to use my words for your glory. I will always stand in awe of you and how you work.

The importance of my husband Ron’s support cannot be fully measured. This book would literally not exist without your specific prayers for me! I am very grateful that you encourage me to write and that you still choose to love me and do life with me after all these years, despite all of my flaws.

My thanks to those who encourage me with your kind words about my writing – especially Karen, Ginger, Debbie, Rhonda, and Lydia. Your verbal and written support humbles me and helps to confirm my continued calling from God.

Thank you to my newest prayer warrior, Teresa, for covering this project in prayer. I value your friendship and appreciate your shining example of perseverance through the difficulties of life. You wear your faith well!

Due to moving/relocation, I have been involved in two different churches during the time frame of writing the material in this book. Both have embraced my stories with open arms and given me opportunities to share my words, as well as blessed me with strong biblical teaching and good friends along the way. My thanks to both Capital Vision Christian Church and Valley View Christian Church.

Lastly, I am very appreciative of everyone who takes the time to read my blogposts. Without readers, a writer has no audience.

The Foundation of Faith: What We Trust

A lot of people would say that they believe in God, but faith is more than believing that God exists. James, one of the brothers of Jesus, told us that even demons believe in God (James 2:19). Faith goes beyond simple belief and indicates what a person is actually placing his/her trust in. In this twenty-first-century world we live in, there are lots of options to choose from. As Christians, it’s important to be sure that we are making the right choice. Faith in God really boils down to two things: what we trust and who we trust.

We must be unwavering in our devotion to truth above anything else that the world offers. God’s Word must be the only standard against which we measure everything else. Only God’s Word can be trusted to be God-breathed and unchanging in an ever-changing culture.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

(2 Timothy 3:16–17, ESV)

We must also be devoted to understanding God’s character and his actions – knowing and believing that how he acts is always consistent with who he is. Because God’s character and actions are reliable, we have a basis for trust that goes beyond ourselves and the context in which we live our daily lives.

The blogposts in this section remind us why we should base our faith on only God and his Word, and they focus on how this informs the decisions we make and the way we approach life.

Thinking about Truth

Got Answers?

Life can be difficult and confusing at times – especially if you pay attention to the nightly news. Terrorists, politics, and other man-made issues flood the story lines; and sometimes we can be tempted in our post-Christian society to despair. Social media is full of posts by Christians trying to sway me to one side or the other on certain topics like who to vote for or how I should feel about other people in the world.

But today I read Psalm 119 in its entirety (176 verses – the longest chapter in the Bible), and I am very thankful for the reminder of the one and only completely trustworthy and unchanging thing in life – the Word of God. Consider these few verses from my reading today:

"Your testimonies … are my counselors." (v. 24, ESV)

"Your rules are righteous." (v. 75, ESV)

"All your commandments are sure." (v. 86, ESV)

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (v. 105, ESV)

"The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." (v. 130, ESV)

"Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules." (v. 137, ESV)

"Your law is true." (v. 142, ESV)

"Your testimonies are righteous forever." (v. 144, ESV)

"The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever." (v. 160, ESV)

"Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble." (v. 165, ESV)

When I read these verses, I have to wonder why we find it so easy to ignore God’s Word and look to other people and ourselves for the solutions to our problems and the answers to our questions. It’s pretty clear that only God’s Word holds the key to whatever is going on in our world. Politicians don’t, terrorists don’t, and even well-meaning Christians don’t if God’s Word isn’t the basis for their conclusions.

I have another verse prominently displayed in my bathroom (a place I visit often every day!) so that I don’t forget the importance of God’s Word: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God will stand forever (Isaiah 40:8, ESV). During this season of growing grass and beautiful blooming flowers, let’s not forget the only thing in life that is forever and can be counted on for counsel, truth, and understanding – not to mention great peace for those who love and choose