God's Faithfulness
Considering "God's faithfulness in light of prayers and requests that either God does not answer or answers in ways we do not expect".
I have grown up in a “Christian home” that for the most part of my life was active in the Church of Christ. My father was baptized after marrying my mom. He had grown up in a strong Catholic family. As I began my “own faith journey” around 7th grade, I began to examine other denominations and wondered the age-old question “who is right”? I’ve learned a lot since then, but from the beginning I have felt this longing to talk to my grandparents. I can remember praying to God for situations to come up that would be comfortable to talk to them about Christ, the words to say, and more importantly (to me) their interest in what I might have to say.
I would pray, what I recall to be every night that they would come to know God and that He might use me and give me courage. To this day, I have not done much at all. I have missed opportunities, been too afraid to speak when they come, and ceased to pray as for them as often as in the beginning. This led me to struggle in my faith, question God, and influence my prayer life. My faith in God was challenged as I began to examine myself and what I believe. If I couldn’t even take advantage of situations because of fear, what did that mean for my faith? From my perspective, my grandparents were not getting any closer to knowing but closer to getting older. Why wouldn’t He save them? Or send someone else to be challenged and actually respond to the call (like Abraham) to minister to them? Why would He put their eternity in my hands?
With age and challenges comes maturity, at least I hope so. During this time I read, studied, and talked to others about this subject. My personal faith was challenged as I originally thought I had all the answers, the checklist for heaven. But my understanding began to shift. In a lot of ways I felt like God was talking to me like He spoke to Job, “where were you…who are you to think”, when I questioned Him. He has the plans in His hands, He doesn’t need me, but loves me enough to think that maybe it would be cool to give me the blessing of being a part of this rather than the burden that I made it. Faith grows and matures and in many ways is seen in our lifestyles, not so much the words I thought I had to have eloquently phrased. God chose to answer in His timing. Many people have been witnesses over this 6 year period and I am beginning to see my grandparents asking the questions, making statements that surprised me and catch me off guard. I think, “Where did that come from” too often and looking in retrospect I can see that God at work.
Abraham’s story of The Call and The Covenant really strikes a note with me. This longing on my heart has definitely been something influenced by God, maybe if even just as a way to teach me. It’s not as profound as Abraham’s seems but similar in nature. God promises a new land and many descendants. For me, the promise was that there would be peace for me when they die, to know that they knew God and can spend an eternity with Him. It has been over six years. I don’t feel like I am seeing drastic changes, but then again I have noticed that I wasn’t as subservient as Abraham when he was willing to take his wife and go where God led him, or to build an altar for his son Isaac, and proceed to almost sacrifice him. However, my disobedience, stubbornness, pride, laziness doesn’t thwart the plans of God. He has used people I wouldn’t have expected, working in the hearts of other family members and friends. My actions may have delayed things in the same way Abraham telling Sarah to lie did, but God knows those things will happen and He will get His work done regardless.
Just hang in there. Faithfulness has to be continued even when no answers are coming. They will come and you don’t want to be off guard. Seeing how faithful God is to His people through famine, family dissention, and more helps put me into place. God is answering but my eyes only see the temporary, not the eternal. All things have answers.
Originally posted Jul 1, 2011
I have grown up in a “Christian home” that for the most part of my life was active in the Church of Christ. My father was baptized after marrying my mom. He had grown up in a strong Catholic family. As I began my “own faith journey” around 7th grade, I began to examine other denominations and wondered the age-old question “who is right”? I’ve learned a lot since then, but from the beginning I have felt this longing to talk to my grandparents. I can remember praying to God for situations to come up that would be comfortable to talk to them about Christ, the words to say, and more importantly (to me) their interest in what I might have to say.
I would pray, what I recall to be every night that they would come to know God and that He might use me and give me courage. To this day, I have not done much at all. I have missed opportunities, been too afraid to speak when they come, and ceased to pray as for them as often as in the beginning. This led me to struggle in my faith, question God, and influence my prayer life. My faith in God was challenged as I began to examine myself and what I believe. If I couldn’t even take advantage of situations because of fear, what did that mean for my faith? From my perspective, my grandparents were not getting any closer to knowing but closer to getting older. Why wouldn’t He save them? Or send someone else to be challenged and actually respond to the call (like Abraham) to minister to them? Why would He put their eternity in my hands?
With age and challenges comes maturity, at least I hope so. During this time I read, studied, and talked to others about this subject. My personal faith was challenged as I originally thought I had all the answers, the checklist for heaven. But my understanding began to shift. In a lot of ways I felt like God was talking to me like He spoke to Job, “where were you…who are you to think”, when I questioned Him. He has the plans in His hands, He doesn’t need me, but loves me enough to think that maybe it would be cool to give me the blessing of being a part of this rather than the burden that I made it. Faith grows and matures and in many ways is seen in our lifestyles, not so much the words I thought I had to have eloquently phrased. God chose to answer in His timing. Many people have been witnesses over this 6 year period and I am beginning to see my grandparents asking the questions, making statements that surprised me and catch me off guard. I think, “Where did that come from” too often and looking in retrospect I can see that God at work.
Abraham’s story of The Call and The Covenant really strikes a note with me. This longing on my heart has definitely been something influenced by God, maybe if even just as a way to teach me. It’s not as profound as Abraham’s seems but similar in nature. God promises a new land and many descendants. For me, the promise was that there would be peace for me when they die, to know that they knew God and can spend an eternity with Him. It has been over six years. I don’t feel like I am seeing drastic changes, but then again I have noticed that I wasn’t as subservient as Abraham when he was willing to take his wife and go where God led him, or to build an altar for his son Isaac, and proceed to almost sacrifice him. However, my disobedience, stubbornness, pride, laziness doesn’t thwart the plans of God. He has used people I wouldn’t have expected, working in the hearts of other family members and friends. My actions may have delayed things in the same way Abraham telling Sarah to lie did, but God knows those things will happen and He will get His work done regardless.
Just hang in there. Faithfulness has to be continued even when no answers are coming. They will come and you don’t want to be off guard. Seeing how faithful God is to His people through famine, family dissention, and more helps put me into place. God is answering but my eyes only see the temporary, not the eternal. All things have answers.
Originally posted Jul 1, 2011
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