What Are you Rebuilding?

 

At the Revoice conference this year (2025) Dr. Wesley Hill spoke about some profound truths required to build a lasting faith. Actually, what he challenged us to recognize is that often times we are actually in a process of rebuilding a faith that may have been worn down by disappointment with God, trauma caused by others, or the consequences brought on by our own failings.

Using Nehemiah as his example Wesley explored the return of exiles to Judah to re-inhabit their homeland. As he guided us through the wonderful narrative found in the books or Ezra and Nehemiah we were reminded that YHWH (God) was not only aiding in an external building project for his people but was most interested in rebuilding the hearts of his people to experience His greatest blessings and gifts. Throughout his message I felt God was trying to get my attention in order to teach me something about messy middle living but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Then, this quote by G.C. Lichtenberg hit my ears like a lighten bolt: “There is a great difference in believing something STILL and believing something AGAIN”.

It was in that moment that I realized that the journey to the messy middle requires enough bravery to allow our beliefs to be torn down so they can be rebuilt afresh on the foundation of grace found in Jesus. Judah had returned to a space that they once held dear. Upon their return their faithful God allowed a new faith built on the experiences of life in exile. They returned with a deeper understanding of what building on the perfect foundations of a faithful God truly looked like.

It took me 20 plus years as a Christian to realize that though I was indeed “believing still” which was in many ways fulfilling, I was in need of an awakening to “believe again” what Grace and love for ALL looks like in my own life. Before I opened up to this reality my faith was shallow, self focused, & weak. After, allowing God to deconstruct my flawed foundations that have led to a shift in my posture towards those who live, believe, & even worship differently than me I have found a deeper more fulfilling faith that highlights others over self, kindness over condemnation, & best of all love over hate.

The path to the mess middle will require the destruction of some closely held beliefs as well as traditions. But rest assured it doesn’t require you throw out historical orthodox theology it simply requires you to always remember theology that is truly rooted in Jesus will always cause you to love people more unconditionally.