Our "faith-life" shows it's true colors when we are put under pressure. No matter what you say you believe, or what others think you believe, there's no hiding or pretending when the bottom falls out and your belief is questioned.
Twice in scripture it depicts instances that Jesus was amazed:
He was amazed at their lack of faith. Mark 6:6
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Luke 7:10
If I asked you what would God think of your faith based on the prayers you prayed this past week, what would you say? The size of our prayers say what we truly believe about God. Can he only keep us safe as we travel? Or can he help us start a ministry that would impact the world? The answer is both, but consider this from Hebrews, the faith book of the bible.
1. You cannot play it safe and please God.
Hebrews 11:6 says that "without faith, it is impossible to please God". Too many have decided how much the Lord can do with them, based on education, personality, age or talent. But God isn’t interested in qualifications. He seeks faith filled followers who echo Isaiah’s call, “Here am I. Send me!” God does not choose servants who are solid rocks with no cracks or crevices. Instead, He selects people who have weaknesses, failures, and a need to be forgiven repeatedly. The Lord looks for believers who are teachable, repentant, humble, prepared to surrender and who will stay focused on what he calls them to do - even if that means we fail along the way.
God often uses failure to make us useful. When Jesus called the disciples, He did not go out and find the most qualified and successful people. He found the most willing, and He found them in the workplace. He found a fisherman, a tax collector, and a farmer.
Failing does not make us failures. It makes us experienced. It makes us more prepared to be useful in God's Kingdom - if we have learned from it. Failing doesn't mean we miss God, it means we discover him.
2. As long as you look for guarantees, you won't find faith.
Hebrews 11:1 says "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do
not see". When we are living bravely, we have to relinquish the need for safety nets. You can choose faith, or you can choose control - you don't get both.
3. To step toward destiny, you need to step away from security.
In Hebrews 11:8 it says "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going".
Y'all they didn't have GPS and navigation systems back when Abraham went out. Let's be aware that the knowledge of geography then was exceedingly imperfect. This was a distant country that lay beyond a pathless desert. As well, no traveler had ever come from that place to apprize him what it was. This serves to show the strength of the faith of Abraham.
As we leave our comfort zones and head out to the deep water, do we trust that Jesus, who walked on the water can navigate for us? Or do we stay in the boat like eleven of the twelve apostles did. We are quick to remember that Peter sank, but seriously? He was the only one who got out of the boat - and discovered how Jesus saves.
We know January is the month of the new year, new goals, new dreams and new plans to achieve. Assess your plans. Are they big, bold and brave? Don't insult our God with teeny tiny ambition. He is the God of exceedingly abundantly more than you can hope or imagine. Engage him as your personal power partner. He gets so excited to give you a front row seat to the glorious unfolding of his greatness in your life. He wants to amaze you!
We want to seek God for the impossible.
Believe God for miracles.
Dream that God would do exceedingly and abundantly more in our lives for His Glory that generations would know who his is.
We will be faith-filled with all that we do.