My husband came home from work the other day and told me a story about a lady he had met. She and her husband are starting a church inside their home and are on a real faith-testing journey. They believe that living within your means and "acting your wage" are critical and so they were wanting to downsize their home. They prayed to God, "Can we sell our house?" and He said "No, not yet." They waited for a little while and asked Him again, "Can we sell our house?" and this time He said "Okay." Their journey has been long, with lots of ups and downs, and they are still in the midst of running the race.
Maybe one day I will be able to share the entire story, but for right now I want to share with you what impacted me the most about this story: they asked God before acting. I have the tendency to act and then pray for God's wisdom and blessing. My biggest fear about asking first, is that I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to hear God's answer. I have been reading Genesis lately and I have been shocked at how the characters (Adam and Eve, Cain, Abraham, etc.) all talked with God like He was sitting right there next to them. I long to have that type of relationship with God, but I am definitely not there yet!
I am a work in progress, but I know the promise has been made, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." (Matthew 7:7)
I typed a big long comment and then thought it might be better in an e-mail. I will leave this verse though Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
ReplyDeleteSarah....
ReplyDeleteYou seriously took the words right out of my bones. I say bones because it's been really stuck inside of me. And I've been thinking about this for a really long time.
Wrestling and then pinned.
What now?
I am so glad that we have the confidence that God loves us and WANTS to communicate with us. Sadly, I too can relate with acting and then asking, or being worried that if I ask, my words will hit a brick ceiling! Thank you, too for sharing. Maybe sometime we should get together in person and really share what God is doing in our hearts! It would be good encouragement and would draw us even closer together ...
ReplyDeleteI believe that transparency and honesty are very important, but I struggle with the line between sharing what is necessary and sharing too much! I have a tendency to talk, talk, talk and then think later...wow I said way too much!
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