Faith Returned

 

    Everyone has a moment or time of a spiritual crisis.  It does not mean that you stop believing, but your faith is put to the test.  You may find that is was not as strong as you thought.  You may find out that you are not as strong as you thought.  It may not even be a big even in your life.  It can happen when all appears to be good, but when it happens it changes everything.  Sometimes doubt creeps in.

    The Israelite nation was not strong in their faith.  They all worshipped how they saw fit and most of the time, it was not pleasing to God.  It apexed when they lost the ark.  That was their crisis in faith.  When the ark was returned, it was like their faith returned.  

    The ark stayed with the Philistines for seven months creating havoc on their lives.  God was revealing his power as the real and living God to everyone.  They returned it with a guilt offering in the hopes that it would remove the plague of tumors.  They did not want to end up like the Egyptians.

    When the ark was taken to Beth Shemesh an Israelite city, God struck down 70 men for looking into His ark.  It is important to refocus on God's ways and not what feels right when going through the crisis of faith or you may not learn the lesson.  

    When you go through your crisis of faith or the testing it is important to soul search for the personalized message that God is trying to teach you.  We are human.  We will fall short of His standards.  However, He loves us enough to teach us.  The journey probably will not be easy, but we don't have to make it more difficult.  When it is over and your faith returns fully restored and soul healed of some soul wounds.

1 Samuel 6