Fine Lines in the Faith

Hello! It’s been awhile since I’ve written. There are many topics I’d like to explore but I would like to come back to the main reason for starting Fine Lines in the Faith, where it came from, and what exactly it means.

I’ve recently come out of a 10 year season that was spiritually rough. During that time, I experienced high anxiety (took me to the line where sanity met insanity…scary!), isolation, loneliness, oppression, grief, shame, spiritual warfare, etc. All this with everything on the outside looking OK. You know what I mean? There was not a major physical illness, financial hardship or loss of a loved one, but God drew me in for some major heart surgery and a time of thickening my skin; it was painful! Why isn’t there a spiritual anesthesia for these times?

During this season, I began to clue in to some godly truths. They were small fine truths that made a huge impact on my faith when God opened my eyes to them. These truths brought understanding, wisdom, peace, and ultimately, freedom in areas of my faith that were bound up. I never thought exploring these fine lines in my faith would produce freedom within, but they did.

Today, I am no longer encumbered by those half spiritual truths that I stumbled on in my walk, nor do I feel slowed down by needless shame. The fruit of this tough season produced more joy in the depth. And though I still have much to learn this side of heaven, I trust God more with the unknown and with the future.

What Exactly is a Fine Line in the Faith?  

We often hear the phrase, “It’s a fine line between _____ and _____.” For example, we can say, “It’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance.” Mirriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary says, “…a fine line is a very thin line, used figuratively to refer to a small difference or distinction between things.” A sense of tension can occur within us when wondering where that fine line is, hoping we don’t cross over it.

Fine lines in our faith are different. It’s not so much a line to avoid crossing over, although it certainly can be, but rather it is a line we are called to walk on, addressing the finer points in our faith. A line or a path God specifically wants each of us to walk in obedience, and if we obey, we can experience a freer and less encumbering walk.

What Can These Fine Lines in Our Faith Look Like?

Biblical truths apply to all of us. As followers of Christ, not one of us is exempt from obeying the commandments or being refined in godly virtue; but how we struggle with our sins and wounds are uniquely manifested deep within the fibers of our hearts. Where I struggle may be different from where you struggle. The Holy Spirit through God’s word and in prayer can lead us to address these subtle yet crucial places in our faith.

Walking a fine line may mean, for example, that we can’t do a specific activity, watch a particular show, or listen to certain music. If we do, it might lead us to an old sin pattern or possibly create a new one. It may be the way we view our Christian culture, an attitude we have towards a certain denomination, church or a Christian group thus breeding division.

Or…

We may feel stagnant in our walk when in reality we are stuck, stuck in a certain sin or bound up with unresolved pain. It could be that we’re experiencing constant guilt from the enemy or conviction from the Holy Spirit. Which is it? How do we discern between the two? Addressing these fine lines in our faith can help us distinguish between the path God is leading us on verses a path that is more encumbering, burdensome.

With future posts, I’d like to explore some of these fine lines in more depth. God may reveal areas in our faith that are specific to each of us. It’s definitely a journey worth pursuing. With the Holy Spirit leading us in these areas, we can walk more freely, producing greater joy in Him!

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