THE MATTER OF FAITH
/“It is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6 NLT.)
If you are a believer and follower of Jesus, by faith you have trusted Jesus as your Lord and Redeemer.
”Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him. . . “(1 Peter 1:8 ESV.)
That instant was a huge faith moment as you stepped into your relationship with God through your belief that He is who He said He was.
What about every step since that first moment of faith?
Is that same kind of FAITH and TRUST in God characterized in your daily walk with Him?
Consider the following personal faith-questions: Would you describe yourself as one who has a lot of faith?In what ways do you exercise your faith in your relationship with God? Have you ever had faith that God was going to do something for you or for someone you love? Do you usually place your faith in something you want God to do? Do you usually place your faith in God, alone – simply in WHO HE IS?
The type of faith that is couched in “naming it and claiming it praying” can send you spiraling downward, if God chooses to answer your request in another way, rather than what you specifically asked for.
When God chooses to answer your prayer differently than what you had “named and claimed”, the resulting conclusion on your part is either I didn’t have enough faith – OR – God is not faithful.
Consider the following little (Big) scenario.
You lose your keys. You really NEED to find your keys. That NEED becomes your “name it and claim it” praying. You beseech God, telling Him YOU KNOW He will lead you to your keys if only you have enough faith. You may word it like, Lord, I’m having faith right now that You will show me where my keys are. I HAVE FAITH that You will lead me to my keys.
You may possibly accompany this praying with fasting and quoting scripture – investing all your energy on “naming and claiming by faith” strongly believing the keys will appear before you.
Here’s the truth.
It is RIGHT and WELCOMED that we present our needs and requests to God. He has told us to do so. This covers any and every detail in our lives: big things, small things, people things, and any burden-things.
”So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will
receive mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:15 NLT.)
But, are we on-track in our praying and faith walk when we base the outcome of our faith in our perception of what is the right answer?
Do we know what God is thinking and planning, as a result of our “lost keys” or are we settling down in what we think is best?
When I pray for something I have lost (that is more frequent than I would care to admit), I NOW pray in full confidence that if God wants me to find it, I will. However, if for some reason He thinks that finding my lost item is not in my best interest, then I won’t.
Remembering the interchange with God and Job, has helped me to come to this mindset. God speaks to Job (Job 38:4 NLT.)
”Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you know so much.”
There it is right there! Whether it’s finding a lost item or praying for healing or running to Him with those deepest needs of the heart – God knows more than we do!
When you took your leap of faith into The Kingdom of God, you didn’t understand all that was in the Mind of God as He brought you into relationship with Him. But you trusted Him and believed in Him.
Also true in our everyday walk; we simply do not understand much about the pathway for us that God chooses to bring us closer to Him. However, we have the choice to trust Him with the best way to handle our requests and longings.
The LORD says, ‘My thoughts and my ways are not like yours Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, my thoughts and my ways are higher than yours’ (Isaiah 55:8 CEV.)
God's love and provision for us covers everything – from the tiniest details of struggle in our lives, to those earth-shattering events that threaten to take us under from the inside out.
As I was pondering my genuineness of faith this week, this question came to me;
Is what I have to gain more desirable than what I have to give up?
With Faith placed in God alone – trusting in His provision to give me the outcome for His glory and my good – I give up worry, striving, anxiety in trying to have enough faith that will produce the outcome that I think is best.
And here’s what I gain: peace, confidence, ability to trust, and a deeper knowledge of leaning on Jesus in a way that KNOWS He will do what is best.
I don’t know why God does what He does, but I love Him and I trust Him – and that’s enough for me.
As I told my “keyless” friend. .. We simply do not know why God chooses this way or that way. It could involve another person or another circumstance, OR, it may simply be to bring you to this crisis of faith to grow a deeper walk with Him.
After hours of stressing, searching, and praying for God to show her where they were she replied . . .
I’m just going to let it go and remember Who is in charge. I have a choice to stay in a bad mood or just thank God for Who He is. I choose to thank God. It’s too heavy for me.
I think she’s getting it, and so am I.
This hope – this confident assurance, we have as an anchor of the soul. It cannot slip and it cannot break down under whatever pressure bears upon it (Hebrews 6:19 AMP.)
Anchoring My Faith in Christ Alone, Cindi
www.frazzledfemale.com/blog
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