My New Idea for the New Year

For a long while, I have had this nagging idea in the back of my head about starting a new blog where I can explore some of my thoughts and feelings about my faith. I have been afraid to do so because I worry that I would offend people, or more importantly, lead readers to embrace incorrect biblical ideas and thoughts.

So I haven’t.

Then I picked up Tim Keller’s The Reason for God. And I read this:

A faith without some doubts is like a human body without any antibodies in it. People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or the probing questions of a smart skeptic. A person’s faith can collapse almost overnight if she has failed over the years to listen patiently to her own doubts, which should only be discarded after long reflection.

Believers should acknowledge and wrestle with doubts – not only their own but their friends’ and neighbors’. It is no longer sufficient (in this increasingly skeptic world) to hold your beliefs just because you inherited them. Only if you struggle long and hard with objections to your faith will you be able to provide grounds for your beliefs to skeptics, including yourself, that are plausible rather than ridiculous or offensive. And…such a process will lead you, even after you come to a position of strong faith, to respect and understand those who doubt.” – Tim Keller, The Reason for God.

I was like, Tim Keller? Have you been reading my mind?

So I am going to plunge ahead, as time allows, exploring my questions. I am really excited about it. Part of my excitement comes from just being able to dig into God’s word with more depth to seek in order to find, even if it takes a long time. My other bit of excitement is in knowing that I can share what I find with anyone who has the same questions. I know I am not the only one who wonders the things I wonder.

I want to look into God and suffering, the doctrine of election, the mystery and glory of Jesus Christ, the beauty of the Gospel, Hell, Heaven and whatever else the Holy Spirit prompts me to investigate.

So for 2012, I plan to be all up in Jason’s apologetic books. Please lift me up in prayer as I begin my adventure!