Keep Swinging the Axe of Faith…

It’s easy to trust and believe God when things go as expected. But what about when they DON’T go as you expected?

How is your faith when everything around you seems to be going haywire and you’re pressed on all sides? Will you still believe God?

I know that I have found my faith lately to be VERY shaky. Not my faith in God because I know He exists. I’m talking about the faith in His promises when I’m faced with difficult circumstances.

My faith in Him to restore me.

My faith in Him to provide.

My faith in Him to work ALL things out for my good.

My faith in Him to redeem certain situations.

My faith in His timing.

My faith in His character and nature despite what circumstances surround me.

I have had multiple situations and circumstances in my life where if I’m being honest, I want to give up. Things are too hard and too crazy. I have had moments where I think “I cannot do this one more day.”

That’s where I’ve really seen what’s in my heart. Am I an unbelieving believer? I trust God for my eternal salvation but do I believe He can work in the details of my life? Do I trust Him always or just when things are going as expected?

I’ve had so many doubts lately about things I really felt the Lord called me to. As soon as things get hard I think “God where are you? I thought you called me to this and brought me here.” I begin to doubt Him and His promises as soon as things get hard, don’t go as planned, or don’t meet MY expectations of how I believe they should go. I wonder if Abraham and Sarah felt the same way? How about the 12 spies when they saw giants in the Promised Land? Or even Mary when she was pregnant with Jesus? Or how about Mary and the disciples when Jesus was being crucified?

I’ve really come to the end of myself in so many areas, and I realize this is exactly where God wants me. That way, His strength can overtake my weakness. We draw near to Him and really get to know Him when we need Him. Looking back, I realize the times I was the closest to Him were in the most desperate of situations.

How hard do we seek Him when all is well and everything goes as planned? Not very hard… It’s easy to get caught up in the distractions of the blessings.

We also have to remember that God is more concerned with our character and sanctification than our happiness. From these situations here are a few things I’ve learned about myself: I don’t have patience, my joy is based on circumstances, when things don’t go as planned I tend to not trust, I’m always expecting the worst, and there’s anger and unhealed places in my heart.

With this realization, I’ve also learned a few other things. I can do hard things when I lean into the Lord. Even when I feel like I’m falling apart and I can’t go on, I can cry out to Him and He is faithful to comfort and sustain me. He only gets glory when He works out impossible situations. There cannot be a Red Sea miracle if there is no Red Sea to part. When we actually believe Him, that’s when our thoughts and actions will reflect the belief in our heart. We can either continue to obey and trust in faith, or give up. Only two people (Joshua and Caleb) entered the Promised Land because they trusted in God over the giants they saw.

A sister of Christ in mind reminded me that there are processes the Lord has for ME that I GET the opportunity to go through for the Glory of the Lord and other women who may face similar things. If God is calling you to something, He will ask you to pioneer through uncut timbers. What path is the Lord asking you to cut? How thick is the cypress in front of you? Will you continue to swing the axe for Jesus? When are you through? It is a timber for a house in the Kingdom.

I listened to a short word recently on Isaiah 43; where this man of God went through a really though season. His mom prayed for him- that his pain would go away and then she asked him how else she could be praying. He told her based on what he learned in church that week, that the size of the vision God will give you for your life is based on the amount of pain you’re willing to endure. So instead of him praying for his pain to go away, he prayed that God would give him endurance and strength to endure in order to see the promise.

You are breaking through. I know it’s hard. I know it’s tiring and you are getting weary. I know things don’t look how you think they should. Have faith in God and continue to swing that axe!