Extreme Faith

We talk about a lot of extreme things in life these days.  Extreme sports, extreme couponing, extreme anything really...knitting, bobsledding, hot dog eating, anything!! Okay so I made those last few up.  Really anything in life can be extreme.

So can faith.

In Matthew 21:21 it says: "And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it shall happen."

It takes some extreme faith to tell a mountain to fall into the sea.  I personally know no one who has done that.  However, I have seen other ways in which extreme faith has been honored.  Multiple times have I spoken to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who have been in less than perfect situations, including things like housing, finances, school, unemployment, car troubles, health issues, unplanned pregnancies, just to name a few.  So many times I have seen the extreme faith of others in these situations and the extreme blessings of a God who is capable of doing more than we can ever hope to think.

But I still don't believe He will do it for me.

Yes, I just admitted that I have weak faith.  It's difficult.  Things are going to get a little personal for a minute. 

There have been some situations lately in which I have felt God tugging on my heart and asking if I like Him or if I love Him.  You can like something on Facebook but that doesn't mean anything really.  It catches your attention on your news feed and it feels good to hit the like button.  But tomorrow you will forget about the little kid who wants his dad to buy him a puppy.  Or the pumpkin muffin recipe your grandma posted on Pinterest.  Is this how Christianity should be?  I began to wonder if I was pressing the "like" button for my faith but then forgetting later.

To be honest, I feel that I have plenty to be worried about.  I am a college senior.  Things are getting stressful for my upcoming graduation.  My husband just switched jobs.  We are moving into a house June 1st.  My student loans will need to be paid.  My car needs fixing.  There never seems to be enough money and I never have enough time.

Fortunately we have a God who is bigger than money and is outside of time.  Those things are of little importance in the grand scheme of His plan...

The reality for myself is that I have been in situations over the past year and a half that would have been easier if I had just held on to my faith.  Think of how much easier it would have been for Peter to walk across the water to Jesus if he hadn't started to worry about it.  Like Peter, I have not been able to forget the possibility of failure...

The beauty of my God is that His power is made perfect in my weakness.

This is something I must cling to as I approach big decisions in my life.  Lately I have been struggling with my options.  Where do I work?  Should I pursue graduate school right away?  I want to be a mother, but should I put that ahead of other goals?  One thing I forget to include in my daily musings is God's opinion.  I think its because I know what He will say.

"Let me carry that for you."

No. I want to feel like I am in control.  I want to be a responsible adult and make good decisions that will ensure me a comfortable lifestyle.

"Oh, ye of little faith" He says to me as I begin to sink in the reality that my own abilities have failed me.

It's difficult to be called out on not having faith.  I know I need to let God carry some of these cares of mine...But I am afraid of looking foolish.  I am afraid of wasting my potential career because I become a mother first.  I worry that I will not find a job that provides the amount of extra income I desire to buy the things I think will make me happy.  Then I might seem lazy.  Also, I worry that I am simply too young and that no one takes me seriously...

I have so little faith in what my God can do in and through me.  And that has to change now.

If you are like me and wondering how in the world you can build faith that can move mountains, join me in this.  God has ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be opened.  I believe the first step is asking God to move through the weakness.  He can build you up and allow you to know the peace that surpasses all understanding.  This is a hard concept to grasp because it seems foolish to literally give God control of every aspect of life and relinquish control.  But he requires it of people who want to have extreme faith.  He doesn't just want to see if you will press the like button on His calling for your life, He wants you get out there and live it!  That takes faith.  But it can be done.

This is me being very honest and admitting that I need that extreme faithfulness.  No longer can I hold on to the things I care about with a death grip and refuse to relinquish all areas of my life to God.  I must make a choice to step out in faith, even if it seems like it's not rational.

God works in mysterious ways. Remember, all things work together for the good of those who love Him.

Blessings,
Julia