I've been thinking a lot the past few weeks about faith and surrender. I've journaled extensively. I shared a bit on the blog about being held and about contentment. I don't plan on transcribing my journal - but I am ready to share a few thoughts on faith.
I've been fairly widely exposed to diverse views of the definition of faith. It seems to me (and I've been doing a lot of reading in the word to check myself on this) that faith is not a dictating, demanding spirit which guarantees things I want from God. Faith, I believe, is a strong and vigorous confidence built on the fact that God is God all by Himself (LOL line from Yada Yada). It's a strong and vigorous confidence built on His nature. Whew - I feel preaching coming on - but I'll check myself. God is so good - ALL THE TIME!!!!
I've really looked. Yes, we are to specifically request things we'd like from God with a heart attitude of thanksgiving (Phil 4), but that is not the same as declaring that I will get what I want. I've seen a demanding, stubborn, self-centered spirit being passed off as faith. I don't mean to be harsh - simply stating something I've observed for a long time in churches. I have no problem ASKING for the things I'd like to see God do....I believe that is biblical. I have a problem DEMANDING that God do things MY WAY in trials, crisis or even just daily life. So often, I simply don't know what is best in a situation, even when I'm sure I DO know what is best. ::sigh:: I don't see how God will use my crisis to bless and mature others. I see MY viewpoint but I don't see what He is at work doing in the kingdom/church. If I could choose, would I be tempted to choose my comfort over what God may do in another as I surrender to His plan and His life is manifested in the midst of the trial?
I've been chided for saying that God's will will be accomplished....but there is STRENGTH in surrender. It's only as I surrender to what He is doing that I begin to experience peace. Oh, I still pray Phil 4 - but I also pray to be content where God leads. I consciously choose joy (satisfaction with His provision) because I'm commanded to. I can choose to surrender. I can choose to be content. I can be real with God and know that He is not appalled at my emotions. I can pray as Jesus prayed "take this cup BUT not my will - YOURS" and I believe THAT is faith. Faith to trust when I don't see the outcome...when life is uncertain maintaining confidence that God IS always certain.
I've read "My Utmost for His Highest" for years. I'm hit and miss. I don't read every day - sometimes I miss weeks on end, ok. MONTHS. Sometimes Oswald Chambers seems to pick a phrase from a verse and write a whole devotional that is great but doesn't match the context of the verse chosen..... all that to say that this week I've picked up this devotional. I've been amazed at the topics this week - habits.....good stuff...the habit of affliction. HUH? Anyway, a quote from today was such a confirmation to my spirit.
"It does not matter how much it hurts as long as it gives God the opportunity to manifest the life of Jesus in your body." YES. I greatly desire and have prayed for years that others would see Jesus in my life. That He would shine through - because for years and years that is NOT what they saw when they looked at me. If that is my prayer and my goal, then it's not really up to me to gripe when He lovingly uses pain to answer my prayer.
And, "May God not find complaints in us anymore, but spiritual vitality - a readiness to face anything He brings our way {or that comes our way}. The only proper goal of life is that we manifest the Son of God; and when this occurs, all of our dictating of our demands to God disappears. Our Lord never dictated demands to His father, and neither are we to make demands on God. We are here to submit to His will so that He may work through us what He wants. Once we realise this He will make us broken bread and poured-out wine with which to feed and nourish others {or a drink offering for your faith as Paul describes it}. " May 15th - My Utmost for His Highest
Isn't it cool that God would have me pick up that devotional at the exact time that I've been reading, meditating and journaling on the same topic? I could have been in August and who knows what it would say. ::snort::
James not only tells us to choose joy, but promises that properly surrendered trials will accomplish things in my life and faith....and he promises that we can ask for WISDOM to walk through a trial. My prayer at this point is wisdom.....wisdom to walk the paths that God has chosen. Faith to continue to surrender to His plan - with a thankful attitude.
9 comments:
Well said. Faith is not believing that I will get whatever I ask for my way. Faith is believing that whatever answer God gives will be for the benefit of His kingdom and His glory. Faith knows that we do not have to understand to know that God is working for the good of the body of Christ and each individual in the body. Faith is knowing that pain and suffering according to His plan are not without purpose. Faith is knowing that He will see us through.
Rejoice in your sufferings. That has always been a tough verse but I have learned it's meaning over time and now can rejoice though maybe not immediately. The Lord is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Continuing to pray for you dear sister. What wisdom the Lord gives you as you seek His will.
De'Etta, Is My Utmost for His Highest a daily devotional? I have one that I read sporadically (good intention to ready it daily) and never cease to be amazed at how timely the reading is for me at that particular point and time in my life.
I agree: there is peace in surrender. Only recently have I learned that when I experience peace then I am allowing God's grace to work through me. Call me a slow learner. ;)
A great gift is when God allows us to see our how trials and tribulations work for the greater good of His kingdom but never the whole picture and often times many years after the fact. I think it's His way of edifying us, helping us to grow in wisdom and to give us hope.
Amen and amen!
Continued prayers. Your light continues to shine, to bless, edify and encourage those around you!
Thank you!
Mmm...Thank you for sharing on this subject. It's good.
I haven't studied what faith is. The Lord has shown Himself to me as Sovereign, so frequently, that for me faith is believing, in Him. Such as waking at 4 am, wanting to go back to sleep, but having sleep elude me. At that point I'm awake enough to believe the Lord woke me and I ask (sometimes annoyed), "Why did you wake me?" The quiet conversation and quality time that follow reiforces my belief/faith in Him and that my relationship w/Him is real. When He asks something of me and I choose to do it, I carry Christ's contentment/energy w/me through the day, as happened the day you wrote of contentment. Faith for me is believing in Him; His presence, His guidance, His provision, His work in me/others, His sovereignty. When I lose sight of Him, I make my life a whole lot harder and I'm discontent. Clearly, I don't have the maturity in the Lord that others have, but how He chooses to interact w/me is growing my trust, belief, my faith in Him. Hmm...I've gone a bit long...sorry.
What a wise woman you are! I am reading and thoughtfully meditating on what you wrote. I pray to have the same wisdom and attitude of surrender **with thankfulness and joy** that you exhibit so truly. To more fully manifest Christ in our lives is the goal we seek to reach. What a great reminder! And I loved what you wrote about faith being the confidence we have because of His nature and WHO He is, not on how we feel or what the circumstances may be. The goodness of God, the perfectness of His love--that is the strength of our faith. Thank you for ministering to me once again today! With love,
Melanie in CA
Thanks for those thoughts De'Etta. You know I've been working through these same things the past couple of years. I go to a very "faith confessing" type of church. I am so tired of hearing how "my words" are affecting how God moves in my life. I just do NOT see God as a puppet waiting for me to "confess" the right things so he can "move mightly" in my life, kwim? I just cannot wrap my brain around that.
God is all knowing and can do ANYTHING. He does not need me to "say the right things" so he can move. I can ask and be thankful and believe and He may not do what I'm believing for. I can be in total denial and HE may do something so big that I know it is HIM, no matter what I say.
It is hard to be in this type of church and not believe the same way, though. I have to be so careful of who I share with, because I just do not want a lecture. Such as, I cannot share with my sister.
I do have one very dear friend from church. Two weeks ago she told me to call her when I couldn't pray, and she will pray for me. I needed that right then, not a lecture on how my words didn't line up, blah blah blah, kwim?
OK...I'm getting wordy and these people want food, again, lol.
amen, DeEtta --
our example is Christ who emptied Himself of His ability to "be God" in His own life & He kept entrusting Himself to God who judges righteously (where IS that? Phil 2 & 1 Peter 2, I think).
Michelle, yes. It's a daily devotional by Oswald Chambers.
Preach it, sister! Totally agree. Great quote from Oswald Chambers.
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