We imagined an electric fan. We could manually spin the blades and create a slight breeze. Obviously, we would have to consistently place our fingertips on the top of the slowing blades to give it another spin. Our entire attention would be devoted to managing the spin of the blades. Our obsession with keeping those blades spinning would consume us, and we would be able to accomplish little else.
If, however, we became willing to plug the fan in to an electrical socket, the blades would spin without effort, in a smooth rhythm, independent of our attention. The effects would be much more noticeable, yet effortless. We could remain active and alert with the more important duties of life, comforted by the breeze of an unseen power.
Faith and doubt, while appearing to be polar opposites, are the alternating currents which work together, generating an absolute belief in Christ. We cannot fully resolve our doubts within our faith. That’s why Jesus tells us time and time again, “Only believe.”
Faith in wholeness, when we felt so broken, was more work than we anticipated.
We worked to believe that somewhere in time, we would possess this shalom which Jesus had bequeathed us before His death.
We worked to believe, when doubts bubbled to the surface after losing our temper, feeling depressed, or experiencing muscle cramps from the lingering effects of the toxins we had used.
We worked to believe our shattered lives could be put back together when legal issues remained unresolved and court cases loomed in our future.
We worked to believe that Jesus’ wholeness could restore us to our original value when we found ourselves faced with the wreckage of our past and the rejection from our families.
We worked to believe in the wholeness of Christ coursing through our veins, restoring the health of mind and body when our inner voice kept telling us we were being foolish and naive.
Finally, we concluded that the only way to test this hypothesis was to presume the words of Jesus were true and choose to believe that they might actually be able to work for us. It seemed worth a shot. After all, we were out of options, so what did we have to lose?
Tetelestai Recovery – Chapter 6, Shalom
Finding Total Recovery in the Words of Christ, "It is Finished!" 