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Faith is a gift, not a right
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“Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-5)
St. Paul reminds us that not everyone we encounter in this life will be godly. There are those who are serving Satan, intentionally or unintentionally, and are evil, troublesome, or importunate men. They act unreasonably in most circumstances, are agents of the devil, and inflict evil on others. They are the enemies of God, haters of the truth, and opposers of Christians. They oppose the preaching of the gospel, the obedience to Christ, and resist the inspirations and calls of God. However, St. Paul reminds us that this is not the situation with those who follow Jesus Christ as Lord.
Faith is a gift of God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God – not because of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) God is not obligated by no man to do anything that God does not desire to do or accomplish. This is also applicable to the distribution of faith. The faith that flows from the throne of God is a grace which is not bestowed on everyone. It is a blessing, not a right. It is a gift, not an entitlement.
We will encounter evil men and women in life. If we do not come across them directly, we see the evidence of them all around us. The news fills our day with information on crimes, hatred, prejudice, racism, and division. Our own families and relationships are, at times, toxic and harmful. Yet, we have hope in Christ Jesus.
“and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful” (2 Thessalonians 3:3) We will fail as human beings. We will become entangled in sin, many times habitual sin, and the bondage of sin that weighs us down and prevents us from glorifying the Lord. We are not perfect, but we serve the one who is the epitome of perfection. He is perfect. As a result of that perfection, Jesus Christ is always faithful.
When others around us do not act as if they have faith, Jesus is faithful. When we stumble against the rocks of temptation, Jesus is faithful. When we fall from the chains of sin, Jesus is faithful. When our faith fails, he never does. Faith is a gift. Jesus gives and does not take those gifts back when He is disappointed in us or when we fail Him. As a result of the faith Christ gives us, “we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things which we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 3:4)
The gift of faith enables us to live a life which helps others see Christ in us. As Christians, it is our duty and role to live as Christ to others. Our life should be one which is seeking to please the Lord in all areas, actions, thoughts, and deeds. Difficult? Absolutely! Possible? Totally, with the grace of faith and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
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About the Author
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
