Category Archives: Faith

Exploring promises as a tool of growth Part 3: Some pitfalls to avoid! One answer to this problem is to not make promises! If you don’t make any promises, you can’t feel guilty when you break them! But this, of course, is to surrender the spiritual life altogether. So, painful as it is, it isContinue reading “Exploring promises as a tool of growth. Part 3”

Exploring promises as a tool of growth Part 2: In a fight, we need a weapon, so make a promise The inner battle is not completely dependent on a conflict between our conscious mind and more instinctive impulses. There will also be battles within the conscious reasoning part of our minds. This is often theContinue reading “Exploring promises as a tool of growth. Part 2”

Exploring promises as a tool of growth (A theological reflection in 8 parts) Exploring promises as a tool of growth Part 1: Face up to reality: this is a severe struggle One of the greatest difficulties in living a spiritual life is the problem of the divided mind. That is, the inner struggle between yourContinue reading “Exploring promises as a tool of growth. Part 1”

What is faith? Part 3: Medicine for the modern world In the modern world, this faith is totally misunderstood by many who don’t have it. They think of it as a mistake, a delusion, perhaps like an infection that some people catch, but really you need to be healed of it. They think of itContinue reading “What is faith? Part 3”

What is faith? Part 2: A relationship, trusting, loving, fulfilling Faith is faith in someone, in God. It is a commitment to honour him. It is a self-giving – and a self-receiving: receiving a new, transformed version of yourself, and receiving the self that is the person of God. Faith is a promise to beContinue reading “What is faith? Part 2”

What is faith? (An exploration in 3 parts) What is faith? Part 1: A verb, not a noun, active and purposeful It is a way of looking at the world, of understanding reality, of understanding yourself and all your relationships – with other people, but also your inner relationship with yourself. It is a setContinue reading “What is faith? Part 1”

Part 3: Learn to see through the false and hold on to what is true New understandings that I think will help me are:- So many things in the world we live in are false. They trick and dupe and lure us by taking something that is true and good and pure and lovely andContinue reading “A cord of 3 strands is not easily broken. Part 3”

Part 2: Faith is like a beating heart, not a bar of gold. I accept that I have fluctuated like a weathervane when I need to be like a hand on the rudder of a boat, not shifting with every breeze, but holding a steady course in the direction I have chosen. I have regardedContinue reading “A cord of 3 strands is not easily broken. Part 2”

A cord of 3 strands is not easily broken (A theological reflection in 3 parts) What are the 3 strands? Always stay true to God and move towards him Don’t be fooled by false alternatives Accept you have weaknesses, but use the strength of your faith to work through to your goal Part 1: IContinue reading “A cord of 3 strands is not easily broken. Part 1”

A note to readers about Pluscarden Abbey The other week I had one of the most unusual and interesting weeks of my life, when I visited Pluscarden Abbey in the Highlands of Scotland. I thought I should mention it in case anyone starts to wonder about the sudden increase in the number of references toContinue reading “A note to readers about Pluscarden Abbey”