Faith...Are You Still Asking Why Me?

Hebrews 11:­­­­1-2 -  What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead.  Men of God in days of old were famous for their faith.

It is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. This unknown writer nails the essence of what faith should be to anyone that believes in God. He uses the word confidence to describe how our hearts should feel about God’s character in the beginning of our journey. He uses the word assurance to describe how we should grow to trust also God’s promises as we mature and grow in faith.

I loved the analogy of a birthday celebration in my Life Application Bible.  True faith is that feeling we had when we were younger in the days preceding our Birthday.  We got excited at the expectation of a gift…even though we usually had no clue what it might be. We just knew it would be great…and trusted our parents with the choices.

I read the list of names and their testimonies that lived beyond the season God allowed them to be on the earth….and I marvel at what they were able to accomplish with faith. There were so many at the end he stopped listing names and just listed the details of the testimonies.  Some were raised with faith and others came to know it through the lives of those that God placed in their pathways.

Not one of these people were perfect at the beginning of their journeys with God.  Some questioned …even laughed at the prospect of the promise God wanted to fulfill with their life. But at some point…with continued searching…study and prayer…they all stopped saying why me???? and started saying Ok…Use me.  They began to trust God with the vision….and let him guide them through the difficulties that might come as they grew in faith.

Here’s my struggle with faith.  I know I am not at the beginning of my journey.  I can see clearly how some of the things I have been through have given me a deeper faith.  But I still find myself in Moses mode…making excuses…or in Noah mode…working on something that seems to have no purpose for me now. …still questioning God why? Begging God for details…instead of just saying ok...I will do whatever you ask…even if it means giving up the thing I love most … like Abraham.

Father…thank you for the reminder that Faith is an important part of my choice to follow you.  Forgive me for the times that I have lacked faith…and let the doubts and imperfections I see in myself limit who I can be for you. Help me to throw off that last bit of hesitation to follow you completely. Help me see the visions of my imperfections as the things you need to still change in me to be who you want me to be…and use my time with you to search and pray for how to fix them. Amen.