Encouragement, Family

Reality vs. Faith

The other day I was sharing with a friend about a new exciting adventure that our family is embarking on.  I shared details and my friend asked the question “will it be difficult?”  In my response I stated that it will not be an easy road but I am believing God for a miracle.  His next response was “great, but just as long as you don’t expect it to not be difficult.”

These words have been rolling around in my head since they landed there.  I can’t shake them.  I have been praying for this miracle for a few weeks now and God continues to be providing peace and just amazing faith.  My head knowledge knows that it will not be an easy road, but my faith says the miracle is going to happen.  So where do I land?

I believe as Christians living in this fallen world we have become calloused to God’s miracles.  We only need them in the “BIG” things.  We have become hardened to God’s moving hand because we see so much hurt, sadness and yuck every day around us.  My faith says that God is performing miracles every minute, every second.  But I don’t see them or notice.  My head tells me that the road is going to be tough instead of thanking God for the miracle of the moment.

God asked me the other day if I could trust Him enough with our journey that I wouldn’t even have to do anything on the earthly side and just believe He will do it all the Heavenly realm?  Let go of control, 100% trust?  My head screams NO, NO! But my heart yearns for that faith and peace!

In one of my devotionals, God placed these verses just for me.

“Do not throw away your confidence: it will be richly rewarded” Hebrews 10:35

Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished” Luke 1:45

I want to live in the “faith” world!  I don’t want my confidence to be thrown out; I want to BELIEVE that God will do what He told me He will do.  I want to live in that world.  But where do I put reality?  I went and read Hebrews 10: 31-36.  The author is reminding them how they remained faithful through terrible suffering, public ridicule, beatings, jail time and all was taken away, now that is the reality of my world.  But the author wasn’t finished and that is where FAITH intersects, the end of verse 34 “you accepted it with joy.  You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever. Do not throw away your confidence.”

So what should our response as Christians be to others who are facing exciting, but possibly difficult journeys?  Do we radiate God’s Faith to them or do we keep them stuck in reality?  I don’t know about you but I think I want to go the faith route.  I want to accept the miracles of the moment and the crap of reality all in one shiny wrapped package of JOY.  Because I know in my head and my heart that God will accomplish all the miracles that HE has promised!

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Lacking Joy!

This week has been filled with tears, anxiety, heartbreak and concern as I have prayed for friends and families who have been struck with grief, diseases, sickness and hard relationships.  It has felt so heavy.  I shared with my husband Brad the other night that I miss laughter and need more joy in my life.  I know that the world is an evil place but I also know that my God is bigger and He has it under control but I sure have not been feeling it or living in that truth.

God spoke to me this morning through His Word and through an email devotional.  God wanted me to know through Colossians 1:23 “But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it.  Don’t drift away from the assurance you  received when you heard the Good News.  The Good News has been preached all over the world, and I, Paul have been appointed as God’s servant to proclaim it.”  

Then this quote came from Aletha Hintorn in my email devotional that just summed it up so well about living in the Overflow of God’s love.

“Living in the “overflow” of God’s love is not a continual euphoric feeling – walking around as if our feet are not touching the ground. It is living in the reality of our broken world, with broken families, and broken individual lives and yet keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus while serving (Hebrews 12:1). He is our example – perfect Love with skin. To live in the overflow is to become more like Jesus. It has moral, spiritual, social, emotional, and physical benefits to all who put Him first.”

I cannot remove myself from the hurt in this world.  BUT I HAVE TO BELIEVE IN HIS PERFECT LOVE FOR ME AND STAND FIRM IN THAT TRUTH!  I know the Good News, I just have to CONTINUE to believe that God is in control and in resting in that place I can have the joy and laughter He wants me to have.