Friday, November 6, 2009

One Question Friday
















Every Friday I’m going to ask a question. The questions I choose might be ambiguous on purpose. The goal is to have you answer the question according to your beliefs, where you’re at in life or a circumstance that might have recently impacted you. The only thing I ask is that you provide an explanation for why you answered the way you did.


It is my hope to understand you better through this and also to gain a greater understanding of humanity and how people make decisions.








The question:














Is faith hard or easy?

*photos by flickr
**I’m over at the
Exemplify Devotional Channel today

29 comments:

  1. wow -- you sure do pick the tough ones don't you??? The honest answer for me, is that I find faith "easy". It's so much more wonderful for me to know that it's not up to me and that things happen for a reason. I love knowing that God is always in control. I remember a time without faith ... I don't know how I survived.

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  2. Hmmm, I think I'll say what one of my characters thought in my manuscript, 'cause I guess it's what I believe.
    Faith is as easy and as hard as parachuting out of a plane for the first time. :-)


    I like this blog look too because it loads way faster. The other one always took a few seconds too long.

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  3. for me, it tends to be hard. I'm a natural doubter. It's easy for me to question God, question His plans, question His existence. This is just who I am. Just how God created me. So I battle with faith. I'm at a place right now where God's helped me with this struggle immensely!

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  4. Faith in Christ is easy for me it's what comes next in the walk that always shakes me. I really need Him 24/7.

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  5. I actually think faith is easy. The difficulty comes when people try to counter it, to find a way around some aspect of it that might not suit them.

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  6. Faith is incredibly hard. I think that's why the path is narrow and few are on it!

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  7. Hard. Definitely. But absolutely worth it.

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  8. I feel that having Faith is easy, but living out my faith is not always easy. So I guess that means Faith is a lot harder than I think.

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  9. Faith starts as a small seed that you struggle to hold on to. Then as you put into practice every day it becomes a mighty tree that you can rest beside without fear.

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  10. If it were easy, there wouldn't be so much written about it in the Bible -- we wouldn't need the instruction and encouragement.

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  11. Faith is hard the way riding a bicycle is hard—inexplicable until that magical moment when everything clicks and we are suddenly free from dependence on the training wheels.

    If we depend on God AND something else (self, spouse, health, wealth), faith is difficult. When we discover that all else is His blessing and rely upon Him alone, we learn to fly.

    Does it mean that we won't have moments of difficulty? Of questioning? No. Those are the opportunities to strengthen faith so we may soar even higher before plunging again toward earth.

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  12. Ohhh, good question!

    If I say easy that makes it seem like faith is no big deal, so easy, anybody can have faith.

    If I say hard that makes it sound like it's a struggle to have faith. Like only those of us willing to fight for it can have it.

    This is tough. I have no short answer. But I do know that my faith cannot be shaken. I made the decision to live by that code whether it's easy or hard.

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  13. I want to say faith is easy. But, I know it only takes a mustard seed of faith to move a mountain, and I can't even get one to twitch. So final answer: it's hard.

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  14. Easy. It's much harder not to have faith.

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  15. I honestly can't answer this question. It's both at different times. However, I've never lived without faith, so I guess for me it's easy, natural, who I am.

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  16. Awesome question. And I think it depends. Faith is such a simple principle, that sometimes it can seem hard, if that makes sense. I believe that one's faith is directly proportional to one's understanding of who the Lord is, and how close a person's relationship is to Him.

    *Nice new layout, btw*

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  17. My initial thought...faith for me is easy, following Christ daily in all my thoughts & actions is more difficult. And then I thought a little harder...if I was really living a life full of faith walking with Christ wouldn't be much of a challenge at all, so maybe it is difficult.

    I think believing in a God who Created it all and in who Christ is & what he did for me comes naturally, transforming into a "new creation" is a bit of struggle, especially when I try and do it myself {not possible}.

    Happy Friday Wendy-
    Jen

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  18. After pondering your question on my morning run...I have to conclude that FAITH IS HARD...why? Because everything in this fallen world contradicts the faith we cling to. I agree with Jody and Cassandra. The Bible is NOTHING BUT words of encouragement and hope...although truth that says..."in this world you will have trouble." Faith takes you down a narrow road...and few are on it. Most don't even understand true "faith" until it is tested by the fire...most fall away when God purifies their faith. He purifies us as silver...it's NOT an easy process...it calls for holding us to the fire. Our "human side" finds nothing "comforting" or "easy" about the purification process. Quite frankly, I believe that if my faith isn't being tested...I may not be moving forward in my faith walk...because most of the time our faith is met with opposition. One thing to remember as we "fight the fight of faith" (fighting is "hard")...there is no victory without a battle...and Jesus has "overcome the world!"
    With joy,
    Cherie

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  19. BOTH, my Friend. At least for me. :-) I make it hard out of fear and doubt, but when I finally surrender to it, I realize how incredibly EASY it is! Reminds me of what Jesus said about His yoke being easy and His burden light. My human brain tries to complicate things. Praying HIS blessings upon you today! Have a FABULOUS weekend! Love, Amy

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  20. Wow, one question, and a short one, but certainly a challenging one!

    I really like the analogy's of Anne Lang and Jessica.

    But I'm going to have to go with Cherie and say faith is hard, at least for me. It is easier than it was at one time, but at times it has been hard. Briefly, the stages: When young, into my 20s, faith was easy. I inherited much of it from my parents. In my later 20s I encountered some philosophical ideas that attacked faith and with that, the accompanying emotions - joy, confidence, assurance, etc. I had to work hard for several years working through some very difficult philosophical and theological issues, all while I was preaching! That was very difficult.

    Fortunately, I came out on the side of faith, and it is much easier again. But, there still are moments ...

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  21. Note: I love song #41. My music appreciation prof in college used to sing/play this song. Thanks for putting it on here. A couple of times now I have left it playing while reading else where.

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  22. I don't know which one is more accurate. Easy or hard. Both have their place in my opinion. Sorry I don't have a better answer.

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  23. Whoa, look at the new blog layout. Very nice! It confused me when it first came up--I wondered why your pic was on the right :D

    I like what Get Real Girl said because I feel the exact same way. Faith is easy, the act of believing in God for me is not something I struggle with. But, living it out, day to day control over whether or not I'll believe in His follow through, that can be difficult.

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  24. Wow, Wendy! Faith is hard. If it were easy, I hope I wouldn't stumble so easily and so often. Although it's hard, I would never choose to live without it.

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  25. Faith is hard. Really hard sometimes when you think your world is caving in around you and you know God is the only one who can save you. What did you choose?

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  26. Funny Wendy...today I drove by a church that had a bilboard outside...here's what it said:

    "Faith makes all things possible...not easy!"

    Loved it. Made me think more about your Friday question! Hope you have a fantastic weekend!
    With joy,
    Cherie

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  27. I think faith makes life easier because you know EXACTLY where you stand in the universe. However, sometimes taking that stand can be hard. So I guess I will say both.

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  28. I'm going to go with hard, though many times it seems easy. When I'm struggling, wanting so hard to hear His voice someway, somehow, when I don't get what I want that's when doubt threatens, so it's then that it's hard. Because I fight off the evil one.

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  29. I am going to say hard...not because the essence of faith is difficult, but because it is a daily (and often moment by moment) choice to stay focused and THAT can be a hard thing to live out. :)

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