Raising your Faith
‘Lord I believe; help thou mine unbelief.’ Mark 9: 24 (KJV)
Are you, like me, one who says things and prays things without much faith behind the prayer? How many of us need to pray with the man in Mark 9 ‘Lord I believe; help thou mine unbelief.’ ??
I have to say that my faith is rising today and has been all weekend. But before you all say, “It’s all right for you . . . .”, I have to tell you that it was only when I spent time in prayer with my wife that it started for me. Before that, my faith was almost as low as it could go without being at rock-bottom.
We all have what Charlie Brown often spoke of to Lucy – we have ‘down days’. Well let me tell you that yesterday wasn’t just a down day it was positively subterranean !! Things had been happening that, unbeknownst to me, had undermined my confidence to a degree previously not experienced. We discussed it – that is of prime importance to discuss these things with your spouse. We cried together and we prayed together but I was still at a very low place.
I was even going to skip church yesterday, I felt so bad, but the Lord urged me to go so off we went. It was as if the Lord had planned that service just for me – just for us really. Our pastor had a message seemingly aimed at me. He did a call and off I went and the whole church prayed for me. I was a wreck but still my faith wavered although it was sort of starting to come back up a bit.
After lunch, we went to the coast on a ‘spur-of-the-moment’ decision. We paddled in the sea – got our trousers/pants wet and it didn’t matter. I could feel my peace returning yet it still had a way to go. We came home four hours later – the coast is about 45 miles away (see my Facebook pics of Gibraltar Point) so it’s a great afternoons jaunt – especially when it’s warm and sunny.
After ‘tea’ we talked some more about my/our ‘problem’. We made some sensible decisions but still my faith refused to budge any further. So we went to bed – me still doubting. Now I don’t know about anybody else, but we like to lay in bed holding each other and pray together and in agreement. Its comfortable and we feel ‘one’ while we pray.
Suddenly – God is the God of ‘suddenlies’ – faith simply flooded my soul and I was bouncing – literally bouncing!! God showed me several paths for our lives and one in particular that stunned me. I had never even considered it but God had and He was just letting me know that He was still in control. Thats when He asked me which part of trust I didn’t understand. My heart was flooded with joy and thanksgiving and praise. We worshipped God together last night and it was wonderful to know His presence in such a personal way.
If you are down, why don’t you give it all to God and let Him raise your faith. Why don’t you say to Him, ‘Lord I believe; help thou mine unbelief.’ As the old song says, ‘Oh what peace of mind we forfeit ....... take it to the Lord in prayer’
Excellent Chris. As I was reading your post I could not help think about Elijah's predicament in 1 Kings 19. If you recall, he had just defeated Baal's priests and afterward, when Jezebel said she was going to have him killed, Elijah went into a deep discouragement, so much so that he actually prayed to die. The Lord made him rest and gave him nourishment. Then as the Lord is wont to do, he gave Elijah a fresh vision of Himself. Not only that, but afterwards, he also gave Elijah a new mission to do.
ReplyDeleteI think we are sometimes just like that, aren't we? We get so tired and beaten up by doing the Lord's work that sometimes, we just have to rest, have nourishment both both physical and spiritual, and get a fresh vision from the Lord. He then can use us some more.
Take care brother. The Lord still has need of you. He has not called you home. You still have a mission to do! --Blessings!
Bless you dear El
ReplyDeleteThis means a lot to me and is so encouraging too. You have confirmed what another has said to me recently and it is wonderful. Joshua 13:1 :-)