How strong is your faith?

Our value of wealth today is so different than that of the early churches and Christians.. People then gave all they had, sold EVERYTHING without hesitation for the cause of Christ. Today, if we don't get an item we want, if the money isn't coming in by the loads, or, at least enough to satisfy our wants, we panic and wonder what on earth we'll do. When things get tough, we don't go to God like we should, or trust that He will provide, we worry ourselves sick, wondering where the next paycheck will come from, where all of our activities will go since we don't have the money to pay for them. We stress over small things (though in our minds they're life threatening,) as if we don't truly believe God can take care of us.



When we work, and bring in a yearly income, we don't think much about it, but in our heads we're really thinking we are the ones providing for the family or ourselves. So it only makes sense that when we don't have that money coming in from our own work, we freak out, because there is nothing else WE can do. I truly believe when we become so self reliant that we stop thanking God for providing for us, THAT is when He slowly starts taking things away from us....to bring us back to the realization that HE provides all, and without HIM there are no blessings. Work, school, sports, or just regular activities...they can all become so important to us that we lose sight of the one that HE has given us these amazing blessings. To the one who complains about his work, it is something of a burden; it's stressful. For the one that barely has work, and gets a little for the work he is given, he feels truly grateful.



God sometimes sends us hardships to break us down, so He can build us back up. The potter has to work and work at the sculpture before it becomes what He wants it to be. We won't be where He wants us over night, life won't ever be easy, and sometimes, we may lose everything. But always remember: God is faithful. We cannot see the big picture, if we could, we would be like God. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Just because you can't see what's going to happen, doesn't mean you have to fear over it. God told us, He knows every time a Sparrow falls, how much more then does He care fore us, His children?



Take every day as it comes. Plan for the future, but leave room for change, because you never know when God will come along and change your plans around. Always remember this: no matter what comes, God will ALWAYS be in control. When all seems lost, in confusion and turmoil, He will always be there.



Talk to Him, visit with Him, study His word. He may have put trials on the earth for us, but He never intended for us to go through them alone.