Believe Anyway

God’s ways are often not our ways. And our ways are often not God’s ways. That’s a good thing, but it makes for discomfort – ours, not God’s. The most dangerous four words are “If I were God…”

My agenda for governing creation and running the Kingdom usually come back to convenience. . . for me. Take faith, for example. I find it much easier to act on belief after I have the proof that what I am trusting will happen. God meets me halfway. He provides some proof upfront that He is a trustworthy God:

• The consistent rising of the sun, enough air to breathe, and the general order I see in creation.

• His track record of coming through for countless individuals – parting bodies of water to enable travel at crucial moments, providing food miraculously when food is desperately needed, defeating enemies when all seems lost, dying for sins and conquering death, etc.

• His faithfulness to His story in the Bible. For instance, He tells us ahead of time when and how something will happen, and it happens just like He said. Or consider the flow of the Bible story, which stays consistent to the theme of renewal and life grace.

If we pay attention, we will realize that God can be trusted.

But that is often not enough because we want to know that He can be trusted in this next moment when I must do something that is rather risky. I’d like for Him to show me ahead of time how He is going to pull me through the next challenge. I’m all for faith steps if He will show me the rock in the water before I extend my foot.

“Do you trust me, or not?”

That’s the real issue, isn’t it? The essence of trustworthiness is that it is consistent. Otherwise, it isn’t trustworthy. If God proved to be faithful when Moses took faith-steps, He will be faithful when I take faith-steps. But, Gideon-like (see Judges 6), we want just one more sign before we move.

Part of the reason I falter at faith-steps is because God tends to be a little more creative than I’d like. He rarely does things the same way. The way He came through for Abraham or Joshua or Paul will be different each time. His faithfulness is sure, but His method varies. And that unnerves me a bit. What if He lets me sink a little when I step into the river? What if He lets me swim and gulp some water before he lifts me out?

Individuals and churches go through times of testing. Churches see finances get tight, attendance numbers dip, morale wanes at times, and the temptation is to reach for some deliverance besides trusting God. Instead of stepping into rivers, we begin to gather the troops and build bridges. God whispers, “Trust me.”

Of course, we must be aware of the partnership into which God has called us. We can step ahead in faith, but he may calls us to build bridges as a part of that faith-step. It is still a matter of trust. It is essential that we grow in our knowledge of God and His Kingdom so that we can continue in obedient trust. Though the future of our faith is uncertain to us, it can be trusted to God.

I have been tempted to withdraw and choose the sidelines when life and ministry don’t go as I plan. But something inside me (the Holy Spirit) prods me onward in faith. I must be faithful. Because God always is.