Asking Hard Questions

I'm taking an Apologetics class this semester and its made me think about several things. I've started reading a book called "Reason for God" by Tim Keller. Its really good so far and I like what he writes. A quote from that book that I liked: "People who blithely go through life too busy or indifferent to ask hard questions about why they believe as they do will find themselves defenseless against either the experience of tragedy or probing questions of a smart skeptic."

I think in churches today we are afraid to ask hard questions. Why is that? I'm not really sure. Maybe we're afraid we don't have the answers for everything or that we don't know anything at all. This can hinder us I believe. If you don't know what you believe then if something tragic happens will you know how to handle it? It's important to dig into your faith. Don't just follow blindly. I believe God wants us to dig into our faith and His Word. That is how we grow spiritually and mature in our faith so that when people do ask about your faith you will know why you believe and what you believe. We do not need to get lazy in our faith. And its not easy at times. As C.S. Lewis wrote, "God is not easy, but He is good." (i think that's right lol). As I write this I realize that we don't or won't have all the answers but it doesn't hurt to ask. We should encourage questions like this and not be afraid of them because they are being asked whether we realize it or not. I will end this post with a verse:

"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 1 Peter 3:15

Struggles

Second post in one day, i have free time today lol and i'm bored. I'll continue what i began talking about in my last post. Later on in the school year at Highland, my dad came home and said he was resigning from the church there. I could not belive it. Why did this happen? Do those people have any idea how hard it was to come here after so many years in warren? For me at least. I still don't really understand how it all happened. He said there was people in the church who didn't like the songs he sang and other stuff i guess. The people who said it were the people who had influence or gave a lot of money i guess. Church politics really. It does exist especially in the church. Thinking of this always frustrates me, even now. I guess i still have a bitterness toward it all though not as much now. After all that, its hard for me to go to church sometimes. Its always in the back of my mind. I cant really explain it. It just frustrates me. It just makes me think what has happened to the Church? When did we get so political inside our own church walls? We should leave it at the door. These are questions that i don't have an answer. We are not perfect.

Life: Senior Year

Well right now i'm bored so i figured i'd write about what's happened in my life the past few years. I don't know if anyone will read this but it doesn't matter. In high school I wasn't the most talkative person. I think i've gotten better now which i am glad. I moved to Cherokee Village my senior year. Saying i was angry about it is an understatement. I didn't know why this was happening to me. I made some new friends at warren that i began hanging out and jam. I remember being mad at everything then. Mad at the world and at God. I remember the day we moved. When we got to our new house, there was people from the youth group there to welcome us. Well that pissed me off. I did not want to see any of those people, I didn't want to be friends with them. I was still angry and frustrated over the whole thing. They made a sign that said "Welcome Zach" and i wanted to rip it up and throw away. when they left i remember going to my room and just crying and being angry and just blaming anything. I remember thinking about smoking and drinking and just rebelling against everything. I did not do that which i am glad. Things got a little better over the course of the summer. I was invited to stuff and went though i didn't want to at the time. It wasn't until we went on the mission trip to Ohio, that things got better for me in a way. I decided to get out of my shell and make friends. The youth group got to know me better and i got to know them. It turned out to be a fun trip. School started it was weird for me. It made me mad cause alot of the classes i could take and wanted to take that were at Warren were not available at Highland. It made me miss my friends in warren. Long story short, i made friends there and i'm still friends with most of the people there. I guess what i'm saying is that life is full of difficult moments but there is good that can come out of it if we let it.