Faith is big
when we speak of all things God; it’s a key element. And we may nod our heads
in assent to that reality. Or maybe, we can feel intimidated, discouraged or
baffled about the issue. I know I’ve gone around and about it myself,
questioning if, indeed, I had the right kind of faith or enough of it.
I discuss it
in my book:
“As I plowed through the Bible, I
found a Scripture that summed up who I was and what I was going through.
“Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
Mark 9:24:
That was me! I knew I couldn’t be
enough, love enough, believe enough, and have faith enough unless God helped me.
When
I began to feel that I wasn’t hell-bound after all, I experienced an opposing
tug in this battle. Another thought popped up: “How do you know you even
believe in God, or want to believe in God?” This scared me. My life showed me
repeatedly that I couldn’t trust my own heart. Maybe this desperation for God
was a new lie.
I
decided to fight as hard as I could, not because I was nobly seeking after God,
but because I was scared to death of my life without Him. I had to find this
story of Jairus’ daughter, but more than that, I had to find God Himself.
The
guilt and shame over my past took a backseat to my new urgency in finding God. Some
days, I felt like I was saved and on my way to a wonderful life with God. Other
days, I left the lights on and slept clutching my Bible for dear life, like a
child clutches a teddy bear. I cried. I laughed. I shouted. I cowered. I
whispered and whimpered. But through it all, I kept praying, “God, be real to
me, be real.” And I kept reading the Bible.”
Indeed, as cliché as it sounds, actually reading God’s Word
has helped me come to terms with my faith. And part of that process was
recognizing that having perfect, problem and question free issues regarding the
matter was not the same as having faith in the first place. Indeed, again,
according to scripture...
"For by the grace given me I say to every one
of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think
of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God
has given you."
You have
faith; I have faith. And, it’s a living organism, constantly being developed in
some way. That may mean it is going through some awkward stages. But we’re
never to fear, including the tricky process of our faith development:
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
Mark 5:36
“Be not afraid of
sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.”
Proverbs 3:25
So, I guess
we’re back to the close connection between the presence of faith as the
antidote, however imperfect, dwelling in us, to the fear issue.
“The LORD is my
light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?”
Psalm 27:1
Our fears, running amuck, do nothing good for
us.
“The fear of man
bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
Proverbs 29:25
Yes, the
world can be a scary place. But again, that’s where faith in God comes in:
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
Mark 5:36
Ultimately,
is the world, in all of its threats, lies and arguments, subject to God’s Power
or not? Check out Matthew 8:26:
“And he saith unto
them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the
winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”
Are you intimidated by the faith issue, feeling only your fears are
calling the shots? Remember an acronym to the word, “fear:” “false evidence
appearing real.” Fear appears real, but God IS real- and He is really there,
helping you now!
“Fear thou not; for
I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea,
I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my
righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10
Challenge your fears and what you perceive to be your weak, less than,
faith- With God’s gift of Jesus Who, indeed, is…
“…the author and the
finisher of our faith…”
Hebrews 12:2
Have your faith, believe in its development and live, freer of any
fear!!!
Copyright © 2016 by Sheryle Cruse
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