Stubborn

Have you ever had an encounter with one of your children when that child was being STUBBORN? Not just stubborn, but CAP LOCK STUBBORN? Our youngest son can be stubborn like that. He can hold an opinion past all reason, past all convincing, past all negotiations. He can be STUBBORN.

I read in the Disciplines today that there are times when we need to have a stubborn faith. Have you ever encountered a situation in which you needed a stubborn faith -- faith even in the midst of logic and reasoning?

Henri Nouwen says calls that a Jonah faith. Jonah wanted to run away from what he did not want to do. God called him back, and required him to practice a stubborn faith. It is a faith which doesn't run from suffering, but walks steadily THROUGH it to reach the other side. It is a faith motivated by the hope of life beyond suffering.

In Jesus we have an example of stubborn faith. His was a faith which walked right up to death and suffering for the hope of life.

Most of all, I think God has a stubborn faith. His stubborn faith is in US. His faith in us believes in us and the potential we have to do his work in the world. Even in the face of logic and reason, his faith in us never waivers.

Are you being called to a stubborn faith?