Have Faith. God Will Answer.

A couple weeks ago, Isaac was busy doing something and all of a sudden he stopped and said, "Mommy, doesn't the Bible say if you have faith the size of a sesame seed you can move mountains?"  My mom was here and we just kind of looked at each other and smiled.  I said, "Yes, Isaac it does say that, but it's faith of a mustard seed."  My mom explained that the mustard seed is the tiniest seed...so even if you have faith that tiny, God can still use it to do amazing things in your life and in the lives of others.

Nothing is impossible with God.

Several nights ago, when I was saying bedtime prayers with Isaac and asking him what his prayer requests were, he said something that caught me off guard.  I didn't really know how to respond to it.  He said, "sometimes it's hard to believe that God is going to answer our prayers because sometimes He doesn't."  Wow.  That's so true.  I have thought that same thing.  I thought about it for a minute and just decided to be honest with him.  I told him that I have felt those same things and that sometimes I have been angry with God because I have prayed and prayed and prayed the same things over and over with no response.  But what I have learned over time and through experience is....God always answers, but His time and His ways are not ours.  God wouldn't seem so amazing and powerful if we could always figure Him out.  He may be waiting to answer our prayer because something has to happen first to make something else happen which will then lead to our answer.  He may see that what we are asking for isn't good for us...or it's good for us, but He sees there is something WAY better for us a little ways down the road. 

There are two Greek words for time.  One is CHRONOS....this is like chronological time...like duration of things...being able to stand before time and look ahead and plan for a time in the future.  The other is KAIROS...this is like a happening...a specific instance....standing in time.  KAIROS is often referred to as "God's time."  I've lived long enough to have experienced and felt the difference.  But how do you explain that to an 8 year old?  And how do I keep that in my mind at all times instead of doubting and questioning why God isn't answering my prayers?

Two of my nephews recently were baptized.  Afterwards, the youngest said that he felt God speak to his heart.  The older one said, "God didn't speak to my heart."

Disappointment.  We see others' prayers being answered, but our own seem to go no further than the ceiling sometimes.

Some very precious people in my life and I have been going through a very difficult time recently.  I have prayed and prayed and sometimes it seems the situation gets worse instead of better.  Where is God in this?  The more I try to do what I think God would want me to do, the more hurtful and venomous and evil the words and actions that come against us.  I don't understand.  I guess that's why I'm not God.  There's no way in the world that I can change any of these circumstances on my own.  He has to.  So I have no choice but to let Him...and trust that He will.  I'm surrounding myself and my loved ones with positivity as much as I can.  I pray for all of them and everywhere I go I have Scriptures on notecards or in my heart that I just keep reciting and meditating on.  That chases away the doubt.  But if I take my focus off of Him and put it on myself or my circumstances, I begin to doubt again...and fear and despair creep in.

Some of you are going through some serious storms.  Some maybe not as serious, but they are still trying and painful...and you still let doubt creep in...and maybe despair...and fear.  When Jesus called Peter out of the fishing boat during a storm to walk out on the water to Him, Peter obeyed and stepped out of the boat.  He started walking on the water and was on his way toward Jesus when he took his eyes off of the One he was walking to and looked around him at the wind and the waves from the storm.  Peter became afraid and started to sink.  That's what happens when we take our eyes off of Him and focus on us and our circumstances.  We sink.  We fear.  We forget Who is in charge of the wind and the waves and the storm. 

Whenever you feel yourself sinking, picture yourself walking to Him on the water....wind and waves all around you...rain beating down on you...and your eyes are fixed on Him.  Keep your focus there.  Some of us have farther to walk...more chronos to get there.  But we all have the same destination.  And at the end of it will be our answers...and calmed winds and waves...no rain...just sun....and peace.

Step out of your boat.  Have faith.  God will answer.

God bless you.