What is it I truly believe?

What is it I truly believe?

Sometimes someone will ask me:  “Mark what is it you really believe”?  It is easy to say most of the time what I put my faith in. However it is how I live that so called faith, that lets me and others know what I believe truly.  Or if I can’t always live what I believe, then I strive.  What if there is only a profession of faith, but no living it, nor striving either?  Striving keeps me humble; it lets me see the need for grace and mercy.  I come face to face with my innards and it is not always a pleasant site.

Humility, being based on truth, rooted in human failure and struggle can lead me to deep compassion for all.  When this is forgotten I can then become harsh and demanding.  Asking from others what I am incapable of accomplishing myself.  I am not called to judge others, not their heart, their soul, nor their worth. For in my judgments I perhaps find the image of my own soul, untouched by the grace of failure; leading to self knowledge, empathy and compassion.  It is in my striving, my trust in mercy, in the gift of infinite love, that I slowly learn to trust and love God and others at an ever deeper level.  Dying to self is the work of grace, all I need to do, is to take one step at a time in faith, love and trust.  Easy (?), of course not; anything worthwhile takes time, patience, openness and effort.  Each time I choose to trust and have faith, it comes from a deeper place, leading to healing ever more comprehensive, bringing finally to completion.  Grace is an invitation, we all receive it I believe and we each respond in ways only seen by God.