Lies we believe

"Being a Christian means joy, peace, and contentment, we are told. We happily miscontrue that to mean a Christian never has problems or pain. We'll be protected by our all-powerful Bodyguard from losing our jobs, suffering from illness, or having accidents that happen to 'other' people.

We want to believe it, so we do.

This one lie may be the most insidious religious falsehood in Christendom. Daily, hourly, people are hurt by it.

I've seen so many believers ... whose 'faith' becomes a source of bitterness and anger the moment life turns sour. God often becomes the scapegoat for all the hurt we feel when he doesn't come charging to the rescue like a heavenly cavalry, or more to the point, like the loving 'Father Knows Best' father who always makes things right.

'Isn't that love?' we ask childishly.

How then to explain the truth? The truth ... is that life is difficult. Faith makes it less difficult, not by solving the problems through rescue, but by giving us a resource to handle the problems."

~ Chris Thurman, "The Lies We Believe"