Growing in Faith
Hello, friends!
It feels like a long time; it's been a few weeks since my last column. I've had a few ideas recently, but the timing hasn't seemed right. Sometimes the ideas take longer to sort through. Most of my blogs usually are inspired by devotionals, or teachings, or just questions I have had for God. I will then write about the thought when I feel I have fully collected my understanding and knowledge on the topic. But anyway, there is something I have been thinking a lot about lately, and it is prayer.
Have you ever found yourself asking God, "Lord, I'm not sure how I should be praying for this?" I want my faith to show how much I believe in the power of God, but I also want to consider that what I'm asking for may not be in God's great plan. Some situations are less complex than others and are pretty straightforward, no question. But then there are things that, with all your heart, you really really want it to go a particular way. So you want to pray and believe for the impossible. Well, here's my big revelation: pray believing for the impossible and trust the will of God.
Both ways honor God, and both display your faith in God. The trust of outcome is not dependent on you, but ultimately on God. It's all about WHO we are trusting when things are out of our control. And if we are trusting God, we can find rest in Him no matter what the outcome.
We can glorify God no matter what happens because our faith is built on who He is and not just what He does. If we believe He is sovereign, then we believe that He has the final word. In joyful times and in suffering times, He remains the same. And because of it, we can keep praising Him. We praise Him because He is good either way. After all, He is in control and never abandons us. He is the power that keeps us going with hope and joy. He is the giver of these things (and all other things); this is His faithfulness to us.
So the key is to grow in faith and trust, and for that, patience is required. I have learned a few things about patience, which essentially means waiting on God. When we are praying about something, we are handing over our worries to Him. So how do you handle the time spent in the waiting?
Thank Him! Because no matter what happens, He is good, and He is in control. If there is anyone who can change something by just speaking it, it is God! So thank Him for what He is doing, thank Him because He has control even in the storm. With every sunrise, we have new mercies! So thank Him for what He has done for you, don't forget of the mercies already given to you.
Praise Him! I don't know about you, but when I become aware of His nearness, without distractions, there is something about singing of His greatness and goodness. It lifts the burdens, and you find rest. It is the best feeling. Sometimes we don't realize how burdened we are until we lift our hands in surrender.
Trust Him! If there is anyone we can count on who will never change, it's God! He is faithful and just. Know that He knows all things, and He doesn't forget His promises. We see His faithfulness all through scripture; trust His word! It may not be in our time or in our way, but His ways are better and greater.
And lastly, don't walk alone. I have realized that the enemy will make us feel like we are all alone, that nobody understands us, and nobody cares. That is a lie! The power of community is a gift from God. God didn't create us to do life alone. Don't be afraid to talk with a trusted friend or reach out for prayer.
Reflect on this passage Romans 12:1
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him."
Ultimately, after all this, we have peace to trust that God has the final word. We recognize His faithfulness and rely on His sovereignty even when things don't turn out our way. As you navigate the hardship of life, I hope that you are reminded of these things. In those moments when your mind is running wild, I pray that you remember to thank Him, praise Him, and trust Him instead.