Readings for today: 2 Kings 1-4
Today I was challenged to take a step of faith. To make a commitment without knowing what will happen. To make a promise without any guarantee I will be able to deliver. To place myself in a position where I truly have to depend on God. These kinds of steps are hard for me. “Faith” is a spiritual gift that doesn’t come naturally. In fact, when I take spiritual gifts inventories, faith often trends towards the bottom of the list. It’s not that I don’t believe. I do. With all my heart. It’s that I have a hard time walking by faith and not by sight. I am like the man who comes to Jesus saying, “I believe…help my unbelief.” I come by this struggle honestly. It stems at least to some extent from growing up in a home with an addict who broke promise after promise. So there’s a part of me that’s always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Always preparing to be let down even by God. Thankfully, He is merciful and tender towards me. He knows my besetting sin and He is gentle in calling me to repentance. He provides me opportunities like today to take baby steps so I might grow in faith and confidence. So after praying over the challenge put in front of me, I took a step of faith and now am trusting the Lord to work it out.
How I wish I could live like Elisha! A prophet of deep faith. He walks so closely with God. He trusts God so much. He refuses to leave Elijah’s side until he gets a double portion of his spirit. He parts the waters of the Jordan. Purifies a well in Jericho. Points a widow to miraculous provision. Raises her son from the dead. Cleanses a poisonous stew. Feeds a multitude. At each and every point, Elisha seems to have the right answer for the right moment not because he is so wise but because he walks with the Holy Spirit. But then I remember Elisha too had to learn. He was one of the seven thousand who hadn’t bowed his knee to Baal when Elijah found him plowing his fields. He served Elijah faithfully for a significant period of time, probably years, though the Bible doesn’t give us an exact timeline. And in that time, he learned how to walk by faith and not by sight.
Perhaps you are like me and walking by faith isn’t easy. Perhaps you are like those I know for whom faith seems to come naturally. Either way, the Lord is faithful to give us opportunities to grow our faith by learning to trust Him. He gives us challenges and pushes us to make commitments only He can deliver on. He gives us dreams and visions only He can make come to pass. He consistently takes us beyond our own resources and wisdom and strength so we will learn to depend on Him. And if we prove faithful, if we prove trustworthy, we will see miracles come to pass as He delivers on His promises.
Readings for tomorrow: No devotionals on Sundays