31. There are many discoveries

The first conversion, a brand new one, needs a very strong push to propel it in the heights of reality. It’s like the plane taking off and displays great power to rise. We feel like something interesting is happening, again and again. We’re in motion.

There are many discoveries, many novelties. This can last for weeks, months. Our heart is cheering and we continually marvel at the wonders of God, one after another. We are witnessing the awakening of our senses taming faith.

As the plane takes off and settles “on” air, we possibly get the impression that our faith has stabilized. So, for the new convert to Jesus as for the disciple, eventually everything seems to normalize. The landscape does not change as fast as in the beginning. We don’t have the same feeling of elevation in faith as for the time of the initial conversion.

We quickly run the risk of getting bored, thinking that nothing is moving and that we are even possibly not in God’s plans anymore. Then we may find comforting thrills in anything other than faith in God.

It’s time to allow us a moment to recheck the path that we have just experienced and to thank God for the evolution through the months or years since our first conversion. This will allow us to get back to the foundation of our faith, to know ourselves better and re-centre our life on Jesus.

This is the right time to strengthen our faith, to dare the periodic conversion of a continuous journey, to be with people who travel together and who want to follow Jesus more confidently.

Then, we must not forget that the people who practise faith in groups are not perfect, as we are not perfect, and that our first goal is to follow Jesus. Let’s try not observing the faults of others, but seek Jesus in the heart of these people. Let’s seek God’s qualities in them and leave to Jesus what isn’t his.

The new American Bible, 2011-2014
Book: A path to conversion, Normand Thomas