Believing God

So I just had to say, that tomorrow morning I will be going to my 4th weekly session of the Bible study, Believing God, by Beth Moore. WOW! I go to the morning group at our church, and there are only about 10 of us that meet in that particular one; but God meets where there are just 2 or 3 gathered in His name amen?! ;) It has been so powerful already, and I just feel like it's one of those studies at one of those moments in your life where you just know it's going to be a life changer! The 5 main points we are learning are

1)God is who He says He is
2)God can do what He says He can do
3)I am who God says I am
4)I can do all things through Christ
5)God's Word is alive and active in me

Sounds awesome, doesn't it?! It certainly has been so far. I have already shed some tears...okay, lots of tears...and feel God working within my heart. The thing that has stuck out the most to me so far, is that for so many of us (even long time strong in the faith believers) our view of God has gotten smaller. Whether it be through prayers that seem to go unanswered, trials that seem all to frequent and difficult, Pastor's and biblical leaders who preach and teach that we are to just sit and be happy with what God has given us, or just the overwhelming amount of pain, suffering and evil we see all around us today; we seem to have lost the reality that our God is HUGE and bigger than all these things! Are we to find joy and contentment in the midst of our everyday circumstances? Yes. Are we to accept that there will always be trials and difficulties? Yes. Should we understand that it is for our good that some prayers go "seemingly" unanswered? Yes. Does it grow increasingly difficult for every believer to see the pain, suffering and evil ever so present in our day? Absolutely. However, do we need to take a step a step back, take in a deep breath, re-read our scriptures and have hope in a God of miracles, that He can still do huge and drastically wonderful things in our lives? YES!!!!

We've got to have hope. This life is too depressing without it. We won't always get our prayers answered the way we want, because God cares most about what is going on in our inward person, but that doesn't mean He doesn't greatly act on our behalves in the outward! Go back and read through the miracles in the Bible, and in the majority of them, you will find the words "because of your faith," "your faith has made you well," "because you believe." Faith pleases God. It's a known biblical fact. When we reach out in faith, He is often moved to then act in our lives and in the lives of those whom we are praying for. Let's not put God in a box and say we know exactly what He will and will not do. His ways are above our ways, and He is sovereign above all. Let's believe Him for the miracles we need. Whether it's healing, salvation, reconciliation, freedom, financial, a mountain in the way...whatever it is. Let's believe Him for it, with unwaivering and undoubting faith. Let's not give up, and not give Him a timeframe to answer us to our satisfaction. Let's put our whole being into believing our God is the HUGE God of miracles until He delivers it to us, or closes the chapter. If and when He delivers us our desires, let us praise Him for it far and wide. On the other hand, if and when He does close the chapter on our petition, let us know that it's because the work He is doing within us is more important than the outward.

Just my thoughts this week, and what God is speaking to me about in my heart. Any thoughts of your own?!