Reclaiming True Faith: More Misconceptions #183

Can you truly find the essence of faith amidst the emotional highs and theatrical church services? Join us as we dive into Pastor Robert Young's compelling insights from his book "Reclaiming the Faith. This episode challenges the conventional understanding that faith is tied to temporary thrills and grand displays. Instead, we explore the idea that faith is a profound, enduring relationship with God built on trust and commitment. Discover how true faith offers strength and resilience, particularly during life's challenging moments, rather than being a magic solution for worldly success or happiness.

We navigate the profound teachings of Hebrews 11:1, which emphasizes trusting in God's promises, even when the results aren't immediately visible. Pastor Young's reflections invite us to consider whether our faith is anchored in fleeting emotions or a deeper connection. Drawing from his book, we tackle the misconception that faith guarantees a problem-free life. Instead, it's about maintaining conviction and trust, even when our emotions are turbulent. Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion that encourages personal reflection on the very foundation of your faith journey.

Transcript

Dan: 0:00

Pastor Young really emphasizes that faith is not about fleeting emotions or entertainment. It's about cultivating a deep, lasting relationship with God.

Sheila: 0:09

Yes.

Dan: 0:10

Built on trust and commitment.

Sheila: 0:12

And it's not a guarantee of worldly success.

Dan: 0:14

No, but it's a source of strength and resilience.

Sheila: 0:18

Welcome back to the Deep Dive. I'm Dan.

Dan: 0:20

And I'm Sheila.

Sheila: 0:21

And we're your AI co-hosts filling in for Pastor Young. That's right, and he'll be

Dan: 0:25

That's right.

Sheila: 0:26

And he'll be back on Sunday with more guided meditations.

Dan: 0:29

Looking forward to that.

Sheila: 0:31

Don't forget, you can still get your free 30-day meditation journal by clicking the links in the description box below.

Dan: 0:37

It's a great resource yeah.

Sheila: 0:38

But today we're diving deep into some common misconceptions about faith.

Dan: 0:43

Oh yeah, Definitely a lot to unpack there.

Sheila: 0:45

Yeah, and we're going to be drawing all of our insights today from Reclaiming the Faith: More Misconceptions.

Dan: 0:51

By Pastor Robert Young.

Sheila: 0:52

That's right.

Dan: 0:53

Great book.

Sheila: 0:54

Yeah, so you know, it seems like a lot of people think faith is all about, like you know, those big emotional highs.

Dan: 1:00

Those mountaintop experiences.

Sheila: 1:01

Yeah, yeah, like you go to church and and you just feel amazing. Yeah, and the music is really loud and the sermon is really powerful yeah. And the book actually talks about how some churches these days seem to kind of lean into that a bit.

Dan: 1:16

Yeah, I think that's a really interesting point.

Sheila: 1:18

Yeah, With the flashy services and the you know, really emotional music and the dramatic sermons.

Dan: 1:24

Like they're putting on a show almost.

Sheila: 1:26

Right. But the book really kind of dives deeper and asks like, is that really what faith is all about?

Dan: 1:32

Yeah, I think that's the core question, isn't it? Pastor Young really challenges that notion in the book. You know he argues that while those elements can be enjoyable and there's nothing inherently wrong with enjoying those things Right,? they can also distract us from the true heart of faith.

Sheila: 1:50

Yeah, it's like a, I don't know, if you've ever been to like a concert or something and you're just like so into it.

Dan: 1:55

Oh yeah, absolutely.

Sheila: 1:56

But then, like, you leave and you're like, oh, that was fun.

Dan: 1:58

It's fleeting.

Sheila: 1:58

Yeah, fleeting, and the book really emphasizes that. You know, true faith is about cultivating a deeper kind of relationship.

Dan: 2:06

Exactly, like a personal relationship with God.

Sheila: 2:08

Right.

Dan: 2:09

And that takes work, it takes understanding, it takes more than just those fleeting moments of excitement.

Sheila: 2:15

Right.

Dan: 2:15

Think about it like any meaningful relationship in your life. It takes more than just those big moments to really build something that lasts.

Sheila: 2:25

Yeah, for sure, the book also brings up Hebrews 11.1.

Dan: 2:27

Oh, that's a great verse.

Sheila: 2:29

Which talks about faith being the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Dan: 2:36

Yeah, that's a powerful one.

Sheila: 2:38

I don't know why I always thought that was like a really heavy verse.

Dan: 2:40

It is heavy.

Sheila: 2:41

Like I don't really understand what it means practically.

Dan: 2:43

Well, how does Pastor Young connect that verse back to these misconceptions about faith?

Sheila: 2:47

Well, he argues that the essence of Hebrews 11.1 is about trust, trust, that's it. Trusting in God's promises and his plan, even when we don't see the immediate results.

Dan: 2:58

Right, even when life throws us curveballs.

Sheila: 3:00

Yeah, you know, and it's about holding onto that conviction deep down.

Dan: 3:04

Even when our emotions are all over the place.

Sheila: 3:07

So it's not about like ignoring our feelings. No, no, not at all, but about not letting them be like the sole driver of our faith.

Dan: 3:14

Exactly. It's about having a deeper foundation for our belief.

Sheila: 3:16

Yeah, and the book also touches on another misconception.

Dan: 3:20

Oh yeah, which one?

Sheila: 3:21

The idea that faith is about achieving worldly success or happiness.

Dan: 3:26

Yeah, that's a big one, like if you just have enough faith. Everything will just magically work out.

Sheila: 3:29

Yeah, but Pastor Young reminds us that true faith isn't a guarantee of a problem-free life.

Dan: 3:37

In fact, sometimes the greatest tests of our faith come during those challenging times Right?

Sheila: 3:49

It's easy to have faith when everything is going great, you know.

Dan: 3:50

Absolutely. But what about when we're struggling?

Sheila: 3:51

Yeah, and the book mentions Proverbs 3.56. Oh, another good one about trusting in the Lord with all your heart and not leaning on your own understanding.

Dan: 3:56

What does that look like, practically though?

Sheila: 3:58

Well, it's about acknowledging that we don't have all the answers. You know, it's about seeking guidance through prayer that we don't have all the answers. You know it's about seeking guidance through prayer studying scripture and being open to the wisdom of our faith community.

Dan: 4:09

Right. It's about surrendering control and trusting that, even when things don't make sense to us.

Sheila: 4:15

God has a bigger plan.

Dan: 4:17

That we can't always see.

Sheila: 4:18

So, as we wrap things up, can you remind us again of the key takeaways from the book?

Dan: 4:24

Absolutely. Pastor Young really emphasizes that faith is not about fleeting emotions or entertainment. It's about cultivating a deep, lasting relationship with God.

Sheila: 4:34

Yes.

Dan: 4:35

Built on trust and commitment.

Sheila: 4:36

And it's not a guarantee of worldly success.

Dan: 4:39

No, but it's a source of strength and resilience.

Sheila: 4:42

Especially when we face challenges for sure. Thank you so much for breaking all that down for us.

Sheila: 4:46

oh it's been my pleasure.

Sheila: 4:47

And for our listeners. Here's a final thought. What parts of your faith journey might be influenced by seeking entertainment or the promise of an easy life? How can you cultivate a deeper, more authentic connection with God, one that sustains you through all of life's ups and downs with God, one that sustains you through all of life's ups and downs? Remember, Pastor Young will be back with more guided meditations this Sunday and you can still download that free 30-day meditation journal in the description below.

Dan: 5:12

Check it out.

Sheila: 5:13

Thanks for joining us on this deep dive.

Dan: 5:15

See you next time you.