trust

Why Is It So Hard to Trust God Completely?

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

What does it mean to have faith in God? It seems like a simple, straightforward question, and it is. The answer, however, may take us deeper than we could imagine. 

To have faith in God means to place the very outcome of our lives in God’s hands, to accept that His way is best and to acknowledge our desire to submit our will to His.

This faith means accepting the fact that there’s something—or in this case, Someone—who’s more intelligent, more powerful, and more capable than we are.

Placing our total faith in God is admitting that He knows more than we do, that He knows better than we do, and that His way will work out for the best in our lives.

Putting our trust in God means that we completely rely on Him and His provision for everything in our lives.

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Even though all that sounds simple, I have to be honest—I’m no giant of faith. I’ve been a Christian for over four decades, and I’m not happy with my faith life.

I wish it were deeper and richer. I wish that I had no doubts about God’s goodness and His willingness to provide all my needs. I hate to admit it, but my faith has not really grown much over the years.

Of course, I trust God for my salvation. It’s comforting knowing that I’ll spend eternity with Him in paradise. No tears, no heartache, just peace and calm—it all sounds great to me. I can definitely get onboard with that.

However, when it comes to trusting the Lord in the day-to-day, that’s when I struggle the most. Even though I’ve read all the promises in the Bible countless times, it’s still hard for me to believe that they’re true for me. 

Sure, these promises might work for other people. But for me? I’m not so certain. My life is not like everyone else’s. It seems that things that work for others don’t really work for me. 

Deep down in my heart I know that’s not true. After all, God is no respecter of persons. But in my head, a big part of me feels that I’m not worthy of having God work on my behalf—that His promises don’t apply to my life and my situation. 

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Faith that’s been tested through trials can be trusted, just like gold or silver that’s been purified by the furnace.

We may say we have faith in God, but until we’ve been through hard, crushing times and held onto our faith in the midst of them—not losing hope in the God who loves us and cares for us—we don’t really know the value of our faith.

In fact, 1 Peter 1:7 tells us that:

Our tested faith is even more precious than gold and “result[s] in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Our faith is nothing if it doesn’t withstand all the challenges that come with living in a fallen world.

But once it’s proven, our faith is rock solid, and is more valuable than anything else. When we have faith in God, we can come through anything that this world or our enemy throws at us. 

Jesus has already won, but that doesn’t stop the enemy from trying to drag us down to his level. He constantly hurls challenges at us to trip us up.

Ephesians 6:16 tells us:

In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.

Our tried-and-true faith will protect us against the schemes of the devil. 

Along with the other important armor mentioned in this chapter, our faith is crucial in helping us live a godly life—like Christ intended for us as a result of His death on the cross.

In fact, we are told, “without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Heb. 11:6a).

We can never hope to live the life that God has in store for us without a strong, proven faith.

Our faith will see us through the hard times, when it looks like all hope may be lost. Faith will help us keep on trying another day, for it tells us that God will provide for us one day at a time, just as He did the Israelites when they were wandering in the desert for so many years.

“Give us this day our daily bread,” we are taught to pray in Matthew 6:11. And farther down the chapter in verse 34, we’re advised: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.”

You may wonder how to develop deep faith. It is grown by using it regularly. 

Start by trusting God for something small in your life. However, make sure your request is on solid biblical ground. 

1 John 5:14 tells us:

And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

When our prayers and our faith are in alignment with God, we can be assured that He will give us what we need.

We’re also told in Philippians 4:19:

‭‭My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Notice that Paul says “need” and not “want.” We don’t necessarily receive everything we want in life, but God will always give us what we need if we trust Him.

Once you see His hand at work in this way, your faith will grow. You’ll learn that you can trust Him for bigger and even more substantial blessings in your life.

Building Your Faith Through Life’s Challenges

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

We’ve all been there at one time or another. That is, we’ve all experienced doubts in our faith that have caused us to question whether or not God really cared and was listening to our prayers. 

It seems inevitable as Christians that we will go through dry periods in our faith life when we don’t feel close to God and wonder what the point really is of trying to follow and obey Him.

Certainly I’ve been there, far too often and too many times to count. In today’s world, it’s easy to put God on the back burner and let our doubts lead us to neglect our spiritual life, until we get to the point where we hardly acknowledge God at all. 

At this point we’re not living like Christ followers when making decisions, and instead we’re operating in our own reasoning and will power.

However, if we remain steadfast in our commitment to walk with God, we can work through these doubts and maintain a vibrant spiritual life. 

Even when doubt tries to creep in, we can acknowledge that these are only thoughts put in our minds by the enemy, and we can continue trusting in God no matter what comes our way.

All we have to do is look at the Psalms for examples of how the writers dealt with their doubts. Many of the Psalms begin by detailing David’s doubts, but end with his praising the Lord for His steadfastness.

Just take a look at Psalm 13:1-2:

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

However, it doesn’t take long for David to change his tune, as just a few verses later (5 and 6), he writes:

But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

This psalm teaches us that it’s OK—in fact, it’s perfectly normal as human beings—to have doubts, even about God.

The important thing to remember is that after we have expressed our skepticism about God’s intentions, we turn it around and recognize that He is the good God that we find throughout the pages of the Bible.

We need to thank Him for His provision and protection, even in the midst of circumstances when it would appear He has forgotten us.

I’m talking to myself as much as anyone else here. There have been countless times when I’ve complained to God about His apparent lack of action when I “needed” Him to work out a problem immediately.

However, God works in His own timing, which usually isn’t the timeframe we think He should work in. We just have to remember that:

For those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Rom. 8:28

This promise should give us hope when things seem at their darkest and our faith is at its weakest. God never leaves us or forsakes us (Heb. 13:5).

In Psalm 77 verses 2 and 3, we find evidence of Asaph’s doubt. He says:

In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord; in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying; my soul refuses to be comforted. When I remember God, I moan; when I meditate, my spirit faints. 

However, just a few verses later, Asaph writes:

I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds. Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?

Ps. 77:11-13

Once again we find that the writer’s fear and distrust is turned to faith. He begins to remember the good works of God and praise Him for them.

There are many more such examples in the Psalms where the writer expresses doubt, only to later recognize God as good and all-powerful.

These examples should be our pattern when we face the trials and tribulations that we will no doubt encounter on this fallen earth. 

While it’s natural to have doubts about where God is in our circumstances, it’s much more important and beneficial to bring to mind all the ways He has come through for us in the past.

It could be as simple as helping us navigate rush hour traffic so that we get to an important meeting on time, or helping us resolve a conflict with a coworker. 

Or, God may have healed you or a loved one from a deadly disease when it seemed like no cure was in sight. 

You can always find something that God has done for you to latch onto when times are tough. He has come through before, and He will do it again.

It takes trusting God for small things, then watching Him come through, to build up your faith to the point where you can trust Him for the bigger, life-changing challenges you will no doubt face.

The more you flex your faith muscle, the stronger it will become and the deeper your faith in the almighty, loving God will grow.

So, when things don’t appear to be going the way you want them to, simply trust God that He’s got this situation already worked out for your good. He’s always there for you!

Is Your Faith Legitimate?

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

Have you ever wondered if your faith in Jesus is legitimate? Oh sure, if you attempt to raise your child in a God-fearing home, you probably exhibit a healthy fear of God that your children pick up on.

It is one thing to show your children a God-honoring approach to the Almighty, but it is something else entirely to live this belief out in your private life when no one is around to judge you.

In these cases, it is often all too easy to let our faith slide and commit sin through unbelief and trying to handle our situations using our own efforts.

But God never wanted to handle all our problems on our own. He is our loving, caring Father, and wants to help us through the difficult situations of life. 

In fact, I would even go so far as to see He feels honored when we reach out for help, as this shows a level of trust and reliance that He deeply desires from His children.

However, we can just as easily stray from God when we try to figure out and handle all our problems on our own. We may think we have all the answers, especially if our current situation is similar to one we’ve encountered before.

In these situations, it’s easy for us to rely on our past experiences and successes to handle this problem by ourselves. 

After all, we may think we don’t need God, while waiting around for Him to come through when we can easily take care of our situation ourselves. 

The first way we can tell we’re not living by faith is making the mistake of trying to figure out and solve our problems by leaving God out of them. 

If we truly love Jesus and all that He’s done for us, it should be easy to turn immediately to Him when problems arise and place their outcome in His hands. 

Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for our good to those whose love God and are called according to His purpose. 

If we’ve accepted Christ into our lives, we can rest assured that His leading and guiding are directing our lives into a favorable direction. Somehow, someway, everything will work out to our advantage.

The second action that should signal to us that our faith is legitimate is when we remember to continually love Jesus when things don’t happen the way we want them to. 

That may sound simple, especially when things are going well, but it becomes much more difficult when we’re facing the trials and tribulations of life. 

If you got recently passed over for that big promotion you’ve been looking forward to, it may be hard to maintain a happy attitude toward your boss and especially the individual who was promoted in your place. 

In fact, it may be one of the hardest things you’ve ever done to put on a happy face and offer them congratulations. 

God calls us to celebrate the good fortune of those around us, so we should try our best to feel happy for them and smile at their positive situation. 

Doing so shows that you’re displaying the love of Jesus. It means you’re a bigger man (or woman) and can celebrate their achievements no matter what they are. 

After all, you’re not in competition with anyone except yourself. If you can improve yourself by a mere 1% every day, pretty soon you’ll begin to notice some significant improvements in your life.

The third sign that we know our faith is legitimate ties in closely with the second sign and involves loving God’s people just as He loves us.

For certain, we commit many sins every day, yet our Heavenly Father is just to forgive us of all them. 

In the same way, we are commanded to love others and forgive them just as they sin against us. 

In fact Jesus tells us to forgive our neighbor a whopping 490 times, in essence saying there should be no limit on our forgiveness.

That can be a monumental task that the Lord is asking of us, especially when the trespasser shows no remorse for his actions.

However, if we’re to live in the peace, love, and forgiveness that Jesus did while on earth, we must take his teachings to heart.

Love for others also means going out of our way to serve others and anticipate their needs. Others may never ask us to do something for them out of embarrassment. 

It is up to us to see their needs and lend a helping hand when it is in our power to do so. We should always love, help, and serve people just as God does the same for us.

These three areas are but a few of the ways that we can demonstrate our love and care for God and His creation.

Since we are part of His creation, we should always be on the lookout for how we can better someone’s else’s life.

I’ll be the first to admit that I often fall short in doing this. Too often, I’m in a rush trying to get things done that I overlook the needs of those around me.

It could be something as small as letting someone cut in line at the grocery stop, or helping someone who is obviously stranded on the side of the road.

I try to justify my actions (or lack thereof) by telling myself that I would be late if I stopped to help that person. However, I might be the only person who stops to offer assistance while that persona waits in vain for help.

I need to do a better job of listening to the Holy Spirit as He speaks to me in these situations.

How about you?

Our Difficulty in Relying on God

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Rom. 8:32

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb. 4:16

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:4

Why is it so hard for many of us to rely on God? After all, He is our Creator and Father. We should look to Him for everything in our lives, from the very small to the very important.

Whether it’s help getting us to work on time with a good parking spot or we’re trusting Him to see us through a bad diagnosis we just received, it should be the same.

Why do we waiver back and forth so much?

I believe that the biggest answer to these questions lies in the fact that we’re taught to be self-sufficient.

Especially for those of you reading this who grew up in the United States, we learn from a young age that it’s us against the world in many instances. 

If we’re going to get anywhere in life, we’ve got to buckle down and work hard, relying on help from no one but ourself. Because, ultimately, ourself is all we’ve got.

I don’t believe this same deep sense of self-sufficiency exists in other countries to the degree that it does in the U.S. 

Our country was founded on a spirit of independence, and this ideal is ingrained in us beginning at a young age.

Think of the founding fathers who broke away from rule under England to form their own country. That’s the kind of independent thinking we Americans are dealing with.

Going back to God—I believe that many of us feel more comfortable with the idea of fighting through the jungle of life by ourselves rather than waiting on God and relying on Him to help us fight through the bush.

It’s a quaint thought that God is there to help us, but do we really need Him? After all, we’ve been living this whole independence thing all our lives. 

Surely, we’ll be fine on our own.

Oh, if God wants to lend a hand here or there or open a door for us, we won’t object. We just won’t expect it or wait for that to happen.

The problem is that God doesn’t want us to embrace this individualistic attitude. He wants to be our everything, our all. 

Just as the famous verses in Proverbs 3:5-6 instruct us:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

In addition, several times in the gospels we are instructed to put God first and He will provide for us, like this passage in Matthew:

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matt. 6:30-33

For those of us used to relying on ourselves almost entirely to get through life, it is a difficult change to let God have His way with our life.

I think to really embrace the sovereignty of God in our lives, we need to saturate our minds with His word (the Bible), especially any passages that talk about trusting God, relying on Him, or waiting on Him.

We get impatient when things don’t go exactly as we want them to, and we often try to force changes that are better left to God. I know I’ve been guilty of that more than a few times.

As God tells us through the prophet Isaiah:

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isa. 55:8-9

There’s no way that we can comprehend all that God has in store for us if we’ll simply trust in and rely on Him. Nothing we could imagine could even come close. We’re told so here:

What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him.

1 Cor. 2:9

So, to overcome our deep-seated desire for self-sufficiency, we need to stay in God’s word, paying close attention to any passages that deal with God’s sovereignty, relying solely on Him, and being submissive to His will. 

Doing so will help us get a lot farther along in life on the path God has chosen for us—and also with much less stress.

Never Stop Trusting in God

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

We all know we should trust God. After all, He is the Supreme Creator of the universe and we are His creation. We would not exist without Him and the love He showed when He chose to create us.

With that thought in mind, I’ve put together in no particular order a few verses about trusting in God. Several of these have been important to me when I’ve faced life’s struggles. Perhaps they will help you, too, as you meditate on them. You can easily search the Bible and discover others to add to this list.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Psalm 22:4-5

In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

Isaiah 26:3-4

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Psalm 9:10

And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 91:2

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

Jeremiah 17:7-8

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.

Isaiah 12:2

Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.

Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Finding Hope in Times of Adversity: Trusting in God’s Plan

/ Clay D. / 2 Comments

We’ve all been there. By there, I mean been in a situation where we doubted if God was ever going to come through for us. 

Each of us faces challenges and struggles every day of our lives. Some of these challenges are small—perhaps as simple as trying to find a parking space in a crowded parking lot. Other challenges can severely test our faith—perhaps a family member has received a negative diagnosis from a doctor.

The question many of us ask ourselves during these trying times is, Where is God in this situation? 

If you’re like me, you tend to question God during these times, even challenging Him to show up and do something positive to affirm His love for us.

It’s easy to point our finger at God and ask Him why He has allowed this bad thing to happen to us. 

After all, we’re good Christians, right? We read our Bible, go to church, pray, and perhaps even give when the offering plate is passed around. Why shouldn’t God bless us when negative circumstances come into our lives?

This isn’t a simple question to answer by any means. By expecting God to bless us when we do the things He expects of us, we’re completely taking His love and mercy out of the picture.

We’re reducing God to some sort of magical genie whose only purpose is to grant us wishes upon our request.

And that is not what God is at all. Sure, He can do anything He wants. However, His plans often don’t coincide with what we think is best for our lives. In fact, more often than not, they don’t. 

It is during these times of trials that we simply must trust in God and His plan, understanding that He knows best and that,

for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Rom. 8:28

I have had to lean on that verse many times when things weren’t going my way.

God is bigger than I am, and He knows how to run the universe. He doesn’t need me telling Him how I think He should do things, as He is perfectly capable on His own.

However, believing that God can and does do what is best doesn’t always translate into a feeling of peace and calm for me.

Does that mean that my faith is somehow lacking? Yes, it probably does. It most likely means that I’m not relying on Him to work everything out for the best.

A good verse to read and meditate on when things aren’t going your way is Psalm 91. Here are verses 2 through 6:

I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,

    my God, in whom I trust.”

For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

    and from the deadly pestilence.

He will cover you with his pinions,

    and under his wings you will find refuge;

    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

You will not fear the terror of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies by day,

 nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

    nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

This passage can give us hope in God’s goodness and protection when it seems like all is lost. It conveys to us the love of God for His people and the protection that He has promised to us.

We can also keep in mind Psalm 103, especially verses 17 and 18:

But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,

    and his righteousness to children’s children,

 to those who keep his covenant

    and remember to do his commandments.

We can rest confidently on God’s promise to look out for us during all the trials we are sure to face while living on this fallen earth.

That doesn’t mean that everything is always going to work out how we think they should, because often they won’t. 

We can, however, feel certain that God is in control and that His plan will be for our benefit. It takes faith to continue trusting God even in the midst of circumstances that look hopeless. 

But we know that with God, all things are possible. Plus, we have His promise that He is always on our side.

So, the next time you’re facing a challenge in life, just remember that God has everything under control. 

He exists outside of time, meaning He is in the past, present, and future all at the same time.

Even though our human bodies can only experience life moment by moment, God has already been where we’ve been and where we’re going. It’s just up to us to trust Him.

Praying in Jesus’s Name

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

Can we really trust God to hear and answer our prayers?

In several places in the Bible we’re told to ask God for what we want (in Jesus’s name) and He will give us our requests. 

But is it really that simple? Can we think of God as some sort of cosmic vending machine just waiting for us to make a selection so He can dispense what we want?

No, of course that’s not accurate. If it were, then that is exactly how we would see God, as a supernatural genie waiting to fulfill our wishes.

Rather, God promises to give us what we long for, so long as He is our main focus:

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37:4

We’re focusing on three chapters of the gospel of John—14, 15, and 16. In these passages we are told several times that God will give us what we ask for in Jesus’s name. 

However, as we’ll see, these promises are not without caveats that we must adhere to. And dare I say that most of us fail to fulfill our end of the bargain. I know that I often do.

Let’s first look at John 14:12-14. Here, Jesus is speaking to His disciples:

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

In verse 13, Jesus promises to give us what we ask for in His name. However we have to look at the surrounding text on either side of that promise. Immediately after the promise are the words, “‘…that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’” 

And after this sentence, Jesus reiterates His promise: “‘If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.’”

It is obvious that Jesus wants to get His point across about doing what we ask, but it is also apparent that His promise is conditional in that the reason behind our prayers is to bring glory to the Father.

Verse 12 gives us an even stronger description of the reason behind Jesus’s promise:

The works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do. 

Once again, it is to bring glory to God through our actions. 

I believe that is the whole crux of this passage—to do good works and pray for things that are in line with God’s will so as to bring glory to Him. As long as we are doing that, He will give us the desires of our hearts.

Now let’s look at the next chapter, John 15, specifically the verses before and after verses 7. In this verse we’re told:

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

That’s a pretty big promise. But we have to look beyond the promise to the surrounding verses before we can understand the reason behind the promise.

Verses 5 and 6 talk about the importance of abiding in Jesus so that we can produce much fruit, because apart from Him we can do nothing. It is this abiding that is so important to fulfilling the destiny that God has planned for us. 

Verse 8 then tells us:

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Once again, if we read the passage correctly, we understand that Jesus’s promise is not intended to be spent on our own selfish desires, but rather it is intended to produce fruit, bring glory to God, and draw others to Him.

We must keep these ideas in mind when we go to God in prayer, not merely asking for solutions to our problems, but imploring God to show us how we can be used daily to advance His kingdom.

Next, we look at Chapter 16 of John. In verses 23 and 24, Jesus tells His disciples:

In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

The “day” that Jesus refers to is His resurrection after spending three days in the grave. His disciples will be excited at His return from the dead. Furthermore, He tells them that they will be able to ask the Father in Jesus’s name and they will receive their petitions. 

Even though not explicitly spelled out in this section, based on similar promises in the preceding two chapters, we must assume that the prayers mentioned are not just any old prayers, but rather petitions of God that will advance the work of His kingdom and bring Him glory. 

Jesus wants us to be fruitful during our time on earth. Hence, the reason He mentions praying in His name on so many occasions.

Plus, He promises to send the Holy Spirit, who will guide His followers into all truth and help them produce fruit for the Kingdom.

These passages in the gospel of John are but a few examples of Jesus telling his followers to pray in His name and expect results.

The important idea we must keep in mind, however, is that our prayers are not meant to be spent on only petitioning for our desires. 

We must align ourselves with God’s will and pray God’s word in accordance with the Scriptures. Then we can expect to see Him working in our lives in a supernatural way for His glory and the advancement of His kingdom.

How Is Your Faith?

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

I believe that one of the most difficult spiritual practices to follow is walking in faith at all times. 

It’s relatively easy for us to say that we have faith, but it’s something else altogether to maintain this faith day in and day out as we deal with the stresses of living in a fallen world.

However, we know that as believers we are commanded to have faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us:

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Also, in 2 Corinthians 5:7, we are told:

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

Therefore, we must have faith if we want to please God and live our lives as He would have us do.

If we know we’re to live in faith, why is it so hard to do? 

I have found that just reading about the concept of faith seems to strengthen my own faith. This strengthening will last for a little while even if I don’t do anything different.

However, the cares and worries of life usually creep back in and I begin to look at my circumstances instead of God’s promises.

Pretty soon, I’m again living like somebody who has never known the Lord and His word. It’s far too easy to keep my focus on what’s going on around me, rather than what God has said.

I believe that we must make a conscious effort to focus on scripture, rather than the narrative that’s being played over and over in our minds.

Even though we know that God will reward our faith, that doesn’t make it any easier, as the enemy is constantly whispering lies in our ears. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 is a good place to start:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

These verses have been among my favorites in the entire Bible for many years. I have read them over countless times as a way to bolster my faith in the face of life’s struggles. 

While it is comforting to read God’s truths, the truth doesn’t do us any good if we don’t take action on it. 

James 1:22 says:

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

We’re only fooling ourselves if we don’t take action on the word of God. We can never expect to receive God’s blessings on our lives if we don’t walk in faith.

One good way to build your faith is by starting small. Pray to God about something minor going on in your life that you need His help with. However, make sure that it lines up with His will. 

Then, as God answers your prayer and you see His hand operating in your life, build on that faith. Go to God with a slightly bigger need and watch Him work.

Keep cultivating your faith as you slowly but surely work toward trusting Him for help and provision in every area of your life.

He may not give you everything you ask for, but rest assured that His work in your life will always be for the best:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Rom. 8:28

Treat your growing faith as if it were as valuable as gold, because it truly is. As your faith deepens and you see God working in your life in an ever increasing way, you’ll find it easier to maintain your faith.

Of course, I’m talking to myself as much as I am to anyone else. I need to walk this path so I can increase my faith and live the way God intends.

Let’s do it together, what do you say?

Develop Faith That Transcends Circumstances

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

Faith is one of the most important aspects of our spiritual life. 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…Without faith it’s impossible to please God. 

Heb. 11:1, 6

If we don’t have faith, our walk with God is dead in the water, so to speak.

However, for many of us, our faith life is not what it should be. I should know, because all too often I fall into that category.

My faith seems to falter when I need it the most.

When things are looking their bleakest, that’s when my faith should shine. However, those are often the times when I withdraw inward and keep God at a distance.

I’ve been a believer in Christ for over three and a half decades. You’d think my faith would have grown some by now.

You may be like me—finding yourself in the position of doubting God, doubting that He will come through this time. Even though He has proven Himself over and over, you still doubt.

Our faith muscle needs stretching if it is to grow. If we truly want our faith to transcend any circumstances we find ourselves in, we need to use it every day.

From the small things to the large things, we must trust God in everything. Then, and only then, will our faith begin to grow and strengthen.

I’m amazed at the faith that Abraham displays when God asks him to sacrifice Isaac, his only son. I’m not sure I trust God enough to follow through with that.

I would doubt whether I was hearing God correctly. I’d say something like, “Are you sure this is what you want me to do, Lord?” or “No, I can’t do THAT. Surely you want me to do something else, right?”

Abraham’s faith lets him stand out as one of the greatest believers ever. He had to look beyond his circumstances and draw deeply from his well of faith in God.

I believe that’s what we must do if we’re to develop that kind of faith. 

No matter what our situation looks like from our perspective, we must remember that God sees things from His 360-degree view. 

He’s not limited to living in just the present like we are. Time is His construct, and He is in the past, present, and future all at the same time.

God knows how everything is going to turn out—you can count on that.

Even when things look their worst, we can trust that He is in control. That’s what Abraham did, and that’s what we have to do as well.

Trusting God for little things first will help grow our faith, especially if we’re unsure we can fully trust him for the big things in life.

However, just remember that your situation may not always work out how you think it should.

Often, God has a different plan than we do, and the thing we pray about and hope will come to pass may not happen. 

We must trust God nonetheless, knowing that His way is best. When we can do this, we’ll be on the path to growing our faith.

Kick Worry to the Curb

/ Clay D. / Leave a comment

God doesn’t want you to worry. Really—He doesn’t.

Over and over in the Bible we read where God tells His people not to worry, not to have anxiety. Here is just one of many examples I could name:

Do not be anxious about anything.

Phil. 4:6a

This command is hard for us to accept in the hustle and bustle of our busy lifestyles. If you’re like me, you tend to feel guilty if you’re not worrying about something. 

It seems like you should be worrying, else you’re neglecting your responsibilities.

However, worrying doesn’t change anything—except maybe to make you feel less guilty. 

You don’t need to feel guilty in the first place. Guilt causes you to worry even more—and you can’t do anything about most of the things you worry about anyway.

So, how do we not worry?

First of all, you have to realize that defeating worry is not a one-time thing. Quitting worrying takes daily effort and a resolve to live in freedom in Jesus. 

Although you may feel like you’re in an uphill battle and that you’re not seeing any results—keep at it. 

Eventually, you’ll find yourself worrying less and living with more joy and peace.

On one of his excellent “In Touch” radio broadcasts, Dr. Charles Stanley lays out three steps to eliminating worry in your life. 

Pray over and meditate on these steps. Really think about them and let them sink into your spirit. 

Doing so will help you beat worry and guilt. 

Step #1 – Realize That God is With You

God knows and sees your situation. He is with you every step of the way. 

I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Heb. 13:5b

You are God’s child, and He loves you dearly. Just as you would never leave your own child, God will never leave you.

And how much more He loves you than you are able to love your child!

You don’t need to worry about God’s awareness of your situation. He is omniscient and has known that you would experience whatever trial you’re in even before time itself existed.

He has promised that He will always be with you, so take Him at His word.

Pray to your Heavenly Father and ask Him for help. He won’t let you down.

Step #2 – Maintain Proper Vision

View your situation in context of your faith.

God is Lord of the entire universe and can be fully trusted to help you through any problems you might face.

You can hold on to your faith that God is good and that His will is always in your best interest. As we are told in Romans 8:28:

We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

When everything seems to be going wrong and all you have is God to fall back on, that’s when your faith is truly put to the test. 

God is all we need. And when He is all we have, we are presented with the opportunity to stand firm in our faith. God’s will WILL prevail.

Step #3 – Seek God’s Kingdom First

If serving God and following His will for your life are your priorities in life, He will make sure that you have everything you need.

Matthew 6:33 tells us:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

To put it another way, God takes care of His own. If you belong to Jesus and faithfully serve Him, your needs will be met.

Keep in mind, God’s provision might not always look like you think it should, but He will always come through. 

God wants to be your provider. His desire is for you to rely on Him and Him alone—not your job, your bank account, or even your own abilities.

Just Him.

When you know that God will meet your every need, you don’t need to worry about having enough. 

You’ll have what you need, when you need it. And you can count on that.

So, to sum up Dr. Stanley’s advice for overcoming worry:

  1. Trust God.
  2. Have faith in God.
  3. Seek God.

Here’s to a worry-free, joy-filled life pursuing God!