Living Abundantly: Believing Jesus for More

At times, it can take me minutes to process through a thought and other times it can take me weeks. At some points I can find rest at the feet of Jesus, and other times my heart feels too overloaded to allow His comfort to seep in.

I think for me, it will be a lifelong process in learning to ease in, through, and out of any process. It will most likely take me years to learn steady patience and contentment in the things God is teaching me.

I tend to sprint when He instructs me to take a relaxing stroll; easily forgetting to just let myself feel where I am for once. He invites me to gaze, ponder, and remember what it feels like to walk the grounds that I've stood on throughout my life.

At times, usually subconsciously, I will allow debilitating questions transition from whispers into yells. "What if I lack the approval of..?" Or, "But God, what if what I'm running after for your kingdom isn't productive enough, or flashy enough?" Oh jeez, the amount of times I have done it all just extracting from an empty well.

I could write a book about all the questions and concerns I have for God.

Yet, at the end of the day, I hope this refinement process in Christ looks different than what I want.

At the end of the day, I know the character of God and it is good; oh boy is it good and loving, thoughtful and patient.

He gently reminds me of who He is. He reminds me of who I am in Him, and His promises. When everything feels like it is going completely wrong and I feel like I am failing, I am reminded it was never my striving or successes that brought my salvation. It was Jesus, the Son of God.

This should be said that He never promised we wouldn't be lead into temptations, into the wilderness. But he did promise us the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit: the advocate, the ultimate guide and leading hand. The one who is the voice in your gut calling you to the purpose God has for your life.

As followers of Jesus, in the acceptance of the gospel, we are granted the voice of truth.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

John 16:13

There is a voice walking us step by step but we have the choice to move and take action upon His guidance. Recently I have been learning this in my own life, a lot. I've decided to take a step of faith out and away from what was comfortable in my life. I felt lead down a path where I couldn't see the mountaintop, and the truth is, I still can't. I only saw the path, the stepping stone right in front of me. As I took that step of faith into a different ministry, into a different calling I wasn't sure what came next.

As time has gone forth, I can promise you there are so many times where I have felt ill-equipped and under-prepared. I have felt like this vision I am developing feels too big to achieve. I've doubted and felt unworthy. All of which I still tend to do.

Though, I listened to a sermon by Transformation Church and Pastor Todd said this, "Believe God for more."

Man, did that resonate with my heart. The vastness of God's power is indescribable and incomprehensible. Yet, God still loves to lead us down the path that reveals to us just how big he really is. Those paths can seem small and insignificant at times. It can feel like cleaning up tables in a restaurant isn't apart of God's purpose for your life. That all the investments and time you put into your gifts, no one is acknowledging them.

But Jesus sees. And the Holy Spirit is preparing you. Whether you can only see the outcome or only see what is right in front of you, God is leading you. You are in His hand and He has an unbelievable, joy-filled purpose for your life.

Sometimes, at least for me, what is difficult about trusting this truth in our own lives is the fear of Jesus not meeting our needs or not following through. For example in John, Lazarus, a man a part of a family that held deep importance to Jesus, was on his deathbed. His sisters called on their savior, their healer, their God. Jesus had promised he would come knowing the critical condition Lazarus was in, but he decided to stay where he was 2 days longer. And even then, he had a trek to make. They weren't just down the dirt street. By the time Jesus had arrived, Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. He was decaying at this point and in the ancient Jewish perspective, after the third day the soul leaves the body. There is something to be seen here.

The timeline of Jesus makes for a seemingly impossible situation. And rightfully, the sisters make the claim, Son of God, if you would've been here my brother would be alive. To Mary and Martha, Lazarus's soul has left his body, and there is no point of return. In their eyes, their savior had let them down.

Jesus empathizes with them. In fact, he weeps with them even knowing what He is about to do.

Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?"

John 11:40

Jesus says this to Martha as she doubts Jesus by stating, he has been dead for 4 days and there is even an odor at this point. But there is something to be said about Jesus's emphasis on you; even in the most impossible of circumstances, if we ourselves believe in Jesus's character we will see the glory of God. There's beauty here. Jesus desires for us to build our own faith with Him. Not to rely on other people's faith for healing and growth, but create our own space and purpose with Jesus. Mary and Martha had questions and doubts but desired to believe Jesus was still the Son of God even in his "failure" of showing up on time. There is a place He is pointing them to in their faith, a hope that they can cling onto. Jesus is worth believing in and has power worth trusting. 

Our personal faith with the Lord deeply impacts those around us as well. The miracle of Lazarus changed the lives of every presence at that resurrection. Not only does our faith allow us to see the glory and purpose that God has for our lives, but it invites others into the same experience. To see the Heavenly Father through our personal belief in who Jesus says He is.

As you take steps of faith toward where God is calling you, it may feel impossible at times. You may see only the result, and not the process ahead. Other times, you may only see the process and not the outcome in following where the Lord is leading you. There is a hope and a promise that Jesus is teaching us along the way. There are parts of us that He is preparing for our purpose in His kingdom.

As scary as all of this can seem at times, it is one of the most beautiful, exciting processes of our life here on earth. Recognizing what Jesus promises us ignites this sort of "untouchable" feeling in our soul, that no matter what comes we are secure and at peace. Paul the Apostle was a wonderful example of contentment in his salvation through Jesus.

Actually, I don’t have a sense of needing anything personally. I’ve learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I’m just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I’ve found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.

Philippians 4:11 MSG Version

I think this verse is a beautiful picture of the faith that Jesus is inviting us into. One where we can make it through anything in the One who makes us who we are. I truly think this comes with just knowing Jesus more. I think it stirs up in us when we pray quietly in our rooms before bed at night; I think it ignites when we experience a hardship, but this time around having the hope of Christ in our heart. I think it manifests when Jesus becomes our close friend, rather than just a distant God.

Prayer:

Jesus, thank you for your goodness. That even in the hardships of our lives, you are present and working. You don't expect us to know exactly what you're doing at all times, you just call us to know you. And when we know you, we love you and learn to trust you even when we can't see the whole picture. I pray that as we move through steps of faith, that you give us the confidence to step out. Not to settle with staying in the boat but experiencing life in a way no one ever has. I pray we can believe you for more. Let us not underestimate your power, that not only did you raise Lazarus from the dead but you had the authority to raise yourself. We are walking day by day with a living God, let us never forget that. Holy Spirit, stir things up in our hearts. If we don't know what the mountain top is, give us confidence in the path. If we don't know the path, but can only see the end result give us hope that you have gone before us and will teach us where to go. If we have no idea in general of where we're headed, just teach us to tune into you right now. To be content with just listening and knowing you more. Jesus, ignite in our hearts our a faith that is our own, to know you're personal to our hearts and desires. You know what we need before we even ask. Father, we love you and we thank you for all that you have done and all that you are doing in our lives. Refine us and give us a heart that looks like you.

Amen