Hey, George!
Are you still looking for your own version of "It's a Wonderful Life?" <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />
Listen, you are a dear old, good buddie--I was friends with you when we were YOUNG! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Roll Eyes]" src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> But, since you asked, there are two things that happen that build faith.
#1--YOU LET GO! Someone once wrote: "You can either pray or you can worry, but you can't do both." Very often, people do not have faith because they don't want to really turn it over to God and let Him have it. That means they have no more control over it, and that feels very uncomfortable!! It is uncomfortable putting your trust in the Lord, because as a weak-minded human, we do not KNOW like He knows.
So we pray: "God, grant me serenity to accept the things I can not change..." Now, George, think about that little sentence a second.
"Grant" means like "offer it to me" or "pour it all over me".
"Serenity"...well what is that?? We ask God to pour something all over us, but what is it that we are seeking? Serenity. The peace that passes all understanding. The world appears to be swirling all around us, and we are peaceful inspite of it all. I can tell you this: at first your gut may feel panicky and afraid, but when God pours out His deep peace upon you, you will know serenity.
Serenity is peace and quiet within your own heart and soul because you are SMACK DAB in the middle of God's will for you, and you can not be moved. Serenity is deep satisfaction and content with what you have, and gratitude and thanksgiving for EVERYTHING. Serenity is balance and calm. The opposite of serenity (disquieted, out of God's will, swinging around, discontent, dissatisfaction, always wanting more and never feeling thanks)--you tell me, George...what are these the signs of??
"Accept"...what is acceptance?? Accepting is when you stop pretending it isn't there and turn around, and face it, and embrace it. I am single. I am not thrilled that I am but I am. I married for life and I am without a partner at this time. I can not change that (note: *I* can not change that, but HE can). I am where I am. I am who I am right now. I am single. So, I am facing that and embracing it. I am unencumbered by the cares of a husband to fully work God's work! Thank God, because He has a lot of work for me to do! I am fully available for my children, and thank God because they need me! I have been given the gift of listening to the music that I enjoy and singing along with it! YAY <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> Accept...not "give up."
And finally, "things I can not change..." Oh, this is always kind of a toughy, because just because *I* can not change it does not mean GOD can not change it. He can do anything if He so desires. BUT...for reasons I may not fully see, He may choose to NOT change it right now. So I need some godly wisdom to be able to tell the things that I can not change that I am going to have to give over to God. I can not change my exH. I can not choose for him--I can not "convince" him--I can not work on his heart like God can...but the good news is, GOD CAN. I just have to be patient and get out of His way!
And that kind of leads to #2...
#2 YOU TRUST HIM! Now, George, how does a person build trust, usually? Over time, more and more, deeper and deeper, you get to know someone and open yourself up more and more. And every time you open up and reveal more of your real self, and the other person treats it as a precious gift and is careful with your trust...well the trust builds.
George, I have known you for a long time, and my guess is that you do not have faith to move mountains because you do not let go and let God have it, and because you are not intimate with God. Yep, that's right--intimate.
Intimacy is REALLY openning up and revealing yourself--and although God knows us and sees us in our rightful place as the righteousness of Christ, He desires for US to open up to Him even deeper than we would ever dream to do with another human being. Furthermore, He wants to open up to US so that we can come to really know Him and get close with Him. When you are close with someone, you trust them.
I can't tell you how many times I have seen people trust in God, and He came through for them. Sometimes it's not in the way they originally asked, but it's ALWAYS in the way that they needed. ALWAYS. EVERY SINGLE TIME. And I can't tell you how many times I have had absolutely nothing and God gave me exactly what I needed--no more and no less.
So you can see, having faith in those circumstances isn't all that hard. I let Him have it--let go and turn it over to Him and get out of the way. I am calm and peaceful and quiet because I know He's got it, and it is quiet a burden off my shoulders to let Him have it!! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" /> And I completely, whole-heartedly trust Him because I know Him. He NEVER, EVER will let me down as a human being might (in their humanity). George, if you know God, it is not scary to let go and trust Him to provide for you whatever it is that you need and desire, because HE IS GOD.
In conclusion, let me give you an example I have lived a thousand times. I was fired from my job last Friday. I think other people might have been afraid and panicked and applied for a bunch of jobs, but I wasn't. God had been speaking to my heart to be coaching people who are involved in infidelity and start doing His work, and then He gave me the opportunity to do His work full-time! Soooo...I said "Okay, God. I hear ya." and I KNOW that I am smack dab in the middle of Gods' will for me, so He will provide for me. Now, if I know God, He will give me $201 dollars when I need $200 for something (He's so funny)...and if I know God, He will prosper His work but probably in ways of peace and healing, which is worth far more than money anyway. At my house, we do not live financially rich, but my kids and I all agree, we are RICH in all the ways that count.
So yep. Here I am, coaching people who will pay me in chickens and loving every minute of it! haha!!
Grow in faith and Wisdom,
CJ
(((((((((((((George)))))))))))))))
Thinkin' of you still, even after all this time
