Where is your faith?

By Dianna Hobbs // Devotions

When I was younger and less experienced, whenever the Lord would call me to do something unfamiliar that veered outside of my comfort zone, I’d be terrified. I had many questions, worries and deep concerns about whether or not I would be able to perform the duties He had newly assigned to me.

When a hard situation with all its troubles and challenges entered my life, I would doubt that I could make it through. Panic overtook me. Instead of crying out to the Lord in faith, I cried tears of fear and stress.

I would feel helpless; it was an emotionally draining cycle.

Then, when it came to taking a particular course of action pertaining to my divine assignment, worst case scenarios took over my thinking. I could barely concentrate on the task at hand for fear of failing before even getting started. My limiting thoughts paralyzed me. Then the enemy would prey on my anxiety and add a bunch of lies into the mix, creating a bleak image of my future.

When I tried to snap myself out of it by remembering the positive affirmations of other believers, quoting affirming scriptures and praying about what troubled me, somehow, I would slip back into my gloom-and-doom thinking.

I wondered, why is this happening? Where is my joy, peace and confidence?

You know what the problem was? There was one thing I neglected: the importance of having faith in God’s faithfulness, sovereignty and plan for my life. I needed to realize that if I rehearsed motivating words, liberating Bible passages and poured my heart out to the Lord without placing confidence in the One who called me, none of those actions benefited me.

That was then; this is now.

These days, when the enemy tries to drum up worry and anxiety within me, when I realize what that old trickster is up to, I  quickly cast my cares upon the Lord, rebuke Satan and tap into my faith reserve.

You see, I have seen God work in my life too many times to believe He would let me down now. My mind recalls the old saying: “You can’t make me doubt Him; I know too much about Him.”

I have experienced the miracle-working power of God firsthand. I have been on the receiving end of blessings—great and small—that I could never have obtained were it not for the hand of the Lord working in my favor. I have watched the Lord remove obstacles, open doors and make ways when there was seemingly no way to be made.

He has also blessed you. He has secured victory for you. In light of what He has done in your life, when doubt stresses you out and makes you feel helpless, and hopeless, you need to do some soul-searching. Perform a heart check. It's time to survey yourself.

Where is your faith? Where is your confidence? Where is your belief? Where is your trust? Hasn't God proven Himself worthy.

Beyond my personal catalog of experiences and yours, there are countless biblical examples that help reinforce our faith. We only need to read through Hebrews 11, often called The Faith Hall of Fame.

One of my favorite encouraging accounts focuses on Abraham, the Father of Faith.

In Genesis 22, after God commanded Abraham to offer up his only son Isaac as a sacrifice, the Bible says Abraham stretched out his hand to slay Isaac. As agonizing as this must have been, Abraham still acted in faith.

And at the moment he moved in obedience to God, the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham from heaven and revealed that there was a ram caught in the thicket that would be used for the sacrifice instead of his beloved son Isaac.

Then Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh, which means, The Lord Will Provide.

Not only did God provide, but in verses 17-18, He pronounced a blessing over Abraham's life. The Lord told him, "That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven…And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."

The good news is, since we have been justified, which is to be made right with God by faith, the blessing of Abraham also belongs to us (See Romans 4:13-25). The same God who provided for Abraham and blessed him is alive and at work in your life today because you have been redeemed from the curse of the law through your belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

God who is still Jehovah-jireh, provides for you and me! He still makes ways. He still heals. He still restores. He still sets free.

No matter what situation you find yourself in right now, the Lord has made provision for every need. So, no more worrying, only believing.

You will see God work if you trust Him.

Despite what’s troubling you and how you’re being tested, if you keep your confidence securely in the Lord, you will move forward knowing that Jehovah-jireh has got you covered.

Amen?

When God stretches you beyond the limits of your comfort zone, He’s stretching your faith. He’s also pushing you to stretch beyond limited thinking; stretch beyond fear; stretch beyond worry; stretch beyond the walls those negative voices have erected in your mind.

How do you stretch? Again, you simply put your confidence in the Lord despite how it looks. Refuse to feed doubt with negative thinking. Instead, feed and fuel your faith with the word of God. When you do that, you set yourself up to receive all Jehovah-jireh has for you!

To encourage you to trust the Lord when you can’t trace Him, I’m stirring Hebrews 10:23 NIV into your cup of inspiration, which says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, keep your focus on the faithfulness of God and not the difficulty of the situation. He never fails. Trust Him with all your heart. Push past fear and tap into faith.

Now let’s pray.

God, my circumstances look impossible. But please help me to see my situation through a lens of faith and not fear. I know You are able to do the impossible and I believe You will do the impossible for me. Today, help me to stretch out on faith and trust You even more. Thank You dear Lord for all the awesome works You will perform in my favor. I receive it today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.