Post by peaches on May 13, 2006 21:52:29 GMT -5
Hebrews 11:6-10
Christians have the capacity to believe God for far more than we are typically willing to ask Him to do. Instead of demonstrating a solid conviction of His faithfulness, we often act out of a weak, halfhearted belief. The Lord is waiting for uncertain believers to come to Him in complete trust. The people living the richest spiritual lives are those who anticipate the Lord doing great things—they exercise the gift of faith.
Exercising faith cannot be passive. Notice that an action word follows every mention of faith in Hebrews 11 (prepared, obeyed, and lived). Instead of folding hands and waiting for God to do something, believers need to get busy. Our first responsibility is to go before the Lord with our petition, sometimes more than once. Then, we must consciously decide to trust Him for an answer and wait with assurance and anticipation that He will follow through on His promises.
God did amazing feats through the lives of the Hebrews 11 men and women. As believers, we have the same potential for Him to work powerfully in and through us. Of course, the Father does not ask us to tackle more than we can handle. Start today by giving Him the small anxieties that plague you. Or ask God for one change you want Him to make in your life.
Like an under-used muscle, faith might at times become flabby, but by putting it into action, believers can build a strong, tough trust. As our assurance builds, we believe the Lord for progressively greater things. In return, He will use us in ways we never imagined.
