Life Journal May 4, 2008
Today's readings: 2 Samuel 8, 9; 1 Chronicles 18, 19; Matthew 21

If You Have Faith

Scripture

Then Jesus told them, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don't doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. You can pray for anything, and if you have faith, you will receive it."

Matthew 21.21-22

Observation

When we are completely filled with Jesus [having died to ourselves] then anything is possible.

Application (How will I be different today because of what I have just read?)

Faith enough--how much is it? We pray for things to happen--or not happen . . . and when it doesn't, we shake our heads and believe that it was because of our lack of faith. We find ourselves second guessing ourselves thinking there must have been some doubt in there somewhere. So we examine our prayers. We examine ourselves. Wondering, guessing where the chink in our armor of faith was.

What if "having enough faith and not doubting" comes not from something WE do, but something that God does in us. What if it comes when we die to ourselves--emptying ourselves and allowing God to fill us, completely. What if having enough faith means trusting God --completely--no matter the outcome--no matter how things appear--no matter what it "feels" like.

So, how much faith is enough? In Matthew 17.20 Jesus tells us that if we have "faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible." Tiny, tiny amount of faith is all it takes. Don't I have at least that much faith?

So, today, how can I strengthen my faith so that I have "faith enough?" Trust God more and more with everything--not ask Him for something and then take off on my own or trust my own way or skills. It means laying it all down at His feet and walking away--not picking it back up and manipulating it so it will come out the way I want it to [or at least trying to--then blaming God when it doesn't]. It is not going to happen all at once. But it can and will happen one step at a time . . . laying more and more down . . . and leaving it because I trust Him to take care of it in His time in His way. It is realizing that I will never have faith enough on my own--then it would be me doing it--but that it is only when I allow God to come into my life more and more and fill me more and more that my faith will truly grow into 'faith enough.'

Prayer

Lord, I confess that my faith is weak--that I don't trust You with the little things in life, let alone the big things. I say I do, but then I try to handle it all. Forgive me. Lord God, come and fill me with You and Your Holy Spirit. Build my faith . . . not so people will look at me and say--look at all her faith. . .but so people will look at me and see only You. Father, make my will match Yours. Make my heart become Yours and beat for You alone. Consume me. Fill me to overflowing with You. I am Yours.