in the last week my thoughts on risk have evolved from the risk of decisions (previous post) to the risk of faith and now on to the hilarity of faith.

rather than tackle both of these fresh ideas at the same time, i'll start with the former and then, at a later point, pick up on the latter. with as regular of a blogger as i am, i realize this is somewhat ambitious, but i'm comfortable with that tension.


the author of hebrews says simply that faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. frederick buechner says that faith is not being sure of where you're going, but going anyways. a journey without maps.

faith somehow is the light, if only in our mind's eye, that entices us forward believing that there is a way out of the dark room.

faith is what causes us to hurl ourselves into the way of danger or, at least, out of the place of security, trusting that somehow we'll survive the ordeal and come out better for it in the end.


faith is nothing short of risky. whether it's faith in an organization. a philosophy. a friend. God. in fact, it's probably one of the more risky things we can do with our lives. because faith is two things:
1. it's putting our confidence in someone or something.
2. it's movement of some sort.

and that leaves us vulnerable. it puts us in a place in which actual harm and pain is a real possibility whether physical, emotional, financial or otherwise.

furthermore, the annoying thing about faith ... not just that it's risky; that's annoying in and of itself ... is that as humans, we were made for it. there seems to be a part of the human make-up that compels us towards trust, towards belief, towards faith. against all odds. as painful as it can be & has proven to be. we have this instinctive gravitation towards placing our faith in others.

in friends... that they'll be there for us & not betray us.

in our wives (or husbands)... that despite the ugliness of sickness, the desperation of lack, and until our journey is complete, they'll be with us, loving us, pursuing us & sharing in this great journey of life. 

in our God... that God is who S/He says S/He is: a giver of good things & restorer of beauty.


and yet, the beautiful thing about faith, particularly faith in God, is that though it moves us out of a place of security into a place of the unknown, at the same time it provides deep peaceful confidence. in faith we live in the humble trust that though we are not in control, Someone is, and that Someone is Good.