Growing in Faith

When God speaks, there is no comma or question mark at the end of the sentence. It is declarative and ends with a period. Often times, we add question marks, semicolons, and comas to the end of what God says because we are trusting in our own understanding. God will tell us to go left; but because we don't want to, because it doesn't make sense, because it doesn't fit into the happy ending that we've concocted, we begin to question it.

But God, what if you just change this? or Why can't it just go this way? and How in the world will I get through if I give that up?

The One who created the heavens and the earth, Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Ancient of Days knows what is best.

It's funny to me that we think that we can OUT think the One who created us. I find it hilarious when I think about how we worry about bills being paid, finding a spouse, food to eat, and clothes to wear when we serve a God who is all powerful. Now, for those who don't believe, that's a different story. But we are his children. God is faithful and He is love. Do you not believe that He will take care of his own? Philippians 4:19 says that God will supply ALL of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 

During my process, my faith in God has increased tremendously. Believe it or not, I'm seeing a lot of the same scenarios appear in my life. I call them tests. The key, though, is responding in a manner that is conducive to God's power.

Today, I realized that I had miscalculated a major transaction that could possibly have a negative effect on my finances. This isn't the first time that I've been in a situation like this. How will I respond this time? I usually cry, throw a fit, and get mad about the things that I feel I shouldn't have to deal with. I then begin to blame everyone else and allow bitterness to set in. How can Philippians 4:19, Matthew 6:33, or Psalm 111:5 manifest in my life when I'm acting contrary to His word? It can't. I have to respond differently.

I'm learning that when God said to "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" that He meant to live my life for Him. He wants me to live a sacrificial life. He wants me to be sold out for Him. He wants me to worship Him with every part of my life. 

Yesterday morning, I was talking to God and he revealed something so simple to me: worship me with your entire life.

My church hosted a conference. On the last night of the conference, I experienced worship like I've never had before. People always say, "the presence of the Lord is here!" and the congregation claps and shouts hallelujah. But on Friday, it was different for me. Bishop Horace E. Smith said, "the spirit of the Lord is among us, the Ancient of Days is here." 

I lost it. 

Jesus is here! The one who died on the cross for me is here! It hit me so hard that I immediately bowed down in all out worship. It was amazing. All I could do was bow down and worship. I've never experienced that before. It had never been that real to me. 

God showed me that even though the reality of his presence just hit me Friday night, He is ALWAYS with me. And because he is always with me, I must always worship him. How can this be done? We can't walk around bowed down all day long! We have  lives to live. He then told me that I must worship him with my life. Everything that I do must be worship. Making the right decisions, choosing to tell the truth instead of a lie, living a life of integrity, allowing my light to shine no matter where I am, obeying leadership... these are all ways of worshiping God with our lives.

As we walk uprightly and begin to trust God to be who he wants to be in our lives, we will see miracles happen. We will be able to testify about how God made a way out of no way. We can tell the story about How God healed us. We will know God for ourselves through our own testimonies.

When God speaks, accept it with a period at the end. Live for him, have faith, and trust him. He will come through.