"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
If you're picking up with us today, we left off earlier this week asking the question, "So, how do we go about pleasing God?" We are told in Hebrews 11:6 that we must have faith. In fact, the writer emphasizes that it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith. As I began my morning today by praying through my week, I could feel the tension in my spirit rising. I sensed the Lord asking me if I had a heart of faith. If I am anxious, am I doubting that God will give me the strength and ability to handle all that He brings to my day? It was Paul’s faith in the character of God that enabled him to say that he can do everything through Christ who gives him strength (see Philippians 4:13). It was this same faith that allowed him to be content in whatever circumstances he had to bear (see 4:11- 12).
It is not enough just to do good works to please the Lord. He wants us to do them by faith in His Spirit’s power and His provision. When we begin to focus on our own abilities and wisdom, we are moving away from faith and toward our flesh. The result will be the fruit of the flesh, rather than the fruit of the Spirit. If you are anxious about something, ask the Lord to fill you with faith to believe that He will provide for you, and strengthen you each day.
A moment to reflect:
1. Do you have a heart of faith in this current season you're in? If not, what are the things your heart is feeling?
2. Are the things you're doing coming from a place of faith or obligation, faith or self-reliance?
3. Is there something you're anxious about today? Spend some time in prayer asking the Lord to remove those anxious thoughts and replace them with faith. Look up some verses that speak truth to those anxious thoughts and feelings. Meditate on these verses this week.
By Sue Corl and Nancy Martin ; an excerpt from For Such A Time As This: Walking Through Crisis *A moment to reflect is added for this post.
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