Thought For Today: “DIY Faith”

One of the more popular reality television shows is about how to fix, repair, and make brand new a person’s home. And there are a lot of them out there and are mostly found on the DIY Network and HGTV.

These have given rise to stores like Home Depot and Lowes. All of them geared to the “Do-It-Yourselfers.” And they even give rise to our thinking that we can do it ourselves, which has unfortunately bled over into our spiritual lives.

When we possess this sort of DIY faith, there is a temptation on our part to thank God, but then attempt to pay Him back through doing things we think He would like, or what is called good works.

This is diametrically opposed to what grace is all about, thus making our relationship with God, not of grace by faith, but by works.

But it’s impossible to repay God for all the grace He showers upon us. We don’t possess enough resources, including time, to do so, which in the end produces frustration because we either don’t think we’ve done enough, or we think we’ve done more than enough but God isn’t taking notice of our efforts.

And because of this, more people are abandoning the church and falling away from the faith because it’s not working for them. But faith is not something we work out; it’s something God works in.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)