Faith is believing what we do not see,
and the reward for this kind of faith is to see what we believe.  

Saint Augustine

Inspirational about Faith :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net :: Photo of lily pads :: #faith #waterlilies

 

You’ve heard the term “blind faith.”  Usually a person with blind faith is looked upon as weak or helpless.

 

How many times have we heard someone say, “Trust me.”

In the recesses of my mind, I remember my dad telling me that I could not trust anyone. 

I’m not sure what life experiences my dad encountered to help him develop that cynical outlook.

Fortunately my dad did not live his life that way before me.  He was a very gentle, kind, and caring man.  And I could trust him.

Many of us, like my dad, are unable to put any kind of trust in our fellow-man.

I’m glad that my dad made it easy for me to trust him.  Because he did, he made it easier for me to trust my Heavenly Father.

And for that I am so very grateful.

 

Faith and trust are quite similar.  If you have faith in someone or something, you trust her or it.

God who loves us with an everlasting love asks us to trust him….to put our faith in him.

You might even say that he expects us to have blind faith.

 

If you have, ahem, control issues like me….it becomes a bit difficult.  Not impossible.  Just difficult.

 

Blind Faith :: Learning to Trust God :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

Here’s what’s interesting.

We think we need to see the plan all laid out before we can believe.

God says, “Trust me.”

 

Those two positions are diametrically opposed.

God knows it.  In fact, he understands and knows why we have this conflict.

He knows it so well that he continues to say, “Trust me.”

Because when we do trust him, we start to see.

 

Our vision comes from blind faith.

Exercising blind faith in difficult circumstances can be more challenging.

But, through that exercise, God increases our faith.

 

Remember how I grew up hearing my dad say I couldn’t trust anyone?

It did impact how I trusted God.

Sure I trusted God for the big stuff….to save me from my sins and create a heavenly home for me.

But, I didn’t trust him with the little stuff.  The every day stuff of living.

I used to pray and tell God what he needed to do to make my life better.  (good grief!)

 

In the big scheme of things I knew that God was (is) good, I knew he was (is) trustworthy.

And every Sunday I told kids that they could “trust God no matter what.”

I can’t tell you how many weeks I repeated that phrase.  I’m guessing more than 300.   That’s a lot of trust talkin’!

 

#Waterlily #lilypads #faith

 

What’s interesting about all this….

Years ago I took a spiritual gifts inventory.  (If you haven’t done that…do it.)

My top gifts are always gifts of administration and hospitality.  Want a party planned….I’m your girl!

Gifts of faith and mercy were way, way, down the list.

 

I haven’t taken another inventory.   I don’t need to take another one to know that the gift of faith is probably higher on the list now than the gift of hospitality.

You see, five years ago, I started trusting God on a whole new level.

Back then I had two choices….trust me or trust him.

At first this trusting thing was kind of herky jerky.

I made some big costly business mistakes because I trusted in me first.

Why?  Because those decisions were logical, they made good sense, and I was in the driver’s seat.

They weren’t God’s best for me and though I had prayed about each decision, I pretty much wanted him to bless my decisions.

God allowed those things to not work out.   He could have blessed them, but he didn’t.   Potentially I could have done very well going down that road.   But, if it’s not his best for me….he probably isn’t going to bless me.

 

Blind Faith :: Believing is Seeing :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

When things in my life further imploded I could keep my hands, white knuckled, on the steering wheel, or I could be hands off.  Blinding trusting God.

I admit that I wasn’t given to riding in the back seat.  I was worse than a back seat driver, I had controls installed on my side of the car.  It took a while for me to relinquish all the controls.  I still relapse.  Continuously I have to give my will over to God.  Continuously I need to close my eyes and let him do the driving.

Today, I find that I can even sit behind him as he drives.  I can even enjoy the scenery and see the beauty in life and the nuances I previously missed because of my egocentric focus.

You see, my blind faith became a seeing faith.

Today, I believe and expect God for his best for me.  Not for my best choices for me.

The words of the psalmist could be my words today…

I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see
the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Psalm 27:13

 

Actually….several years ago I was in despair.  And the stress of despair took an extreme physical toll on me.

I wasn’t going to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living if I continued on that trajectory.    Thankfully I came to my senses and started to lean hard on God, with blind faith.

Now I can say I walk by faith not by sight.  Most of the time.

You can too.

Saint Augustine suggests that there is a reward for this kind of faith….

It’s to see what we believe.

Faith is believing - St. Augustine #Quote #BlindFaith :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net

 

We may not have “that” job yet.  We may not be in “our” home yet.  We may not have “in hand” any number of things.  And to those looking at us, everything may seem pretty hopeless.

But God….

God’s hand is in everything.  Every good and perfect gift

James says it so well…

Everything good comes from God. Every perfect gift is from him.  
These good gifts come down from the Father who made all the lights in the sky.  
But God never changes like the shadows from those lights.  
He is always the same.

James 1:17

 

Every perfect gift is from him.

Life is a gift.  Even more….life in Christ is a gift.  When we choose it we immediately have Hope, joy, and peace.  Thereafter, we experience a new-found freedom and liberty.

 

God is not a fairy godfather.  He does not wiggle his nose and wave a wand at my beck and call, to change my circumstances to meet my desires.

What he does… is walk with me through the challenges of the day.  Each day.

All he asks is that I keep my eyes on him.  Or close them and blindly allow him to lead me.

Those bad things in our lives.  God didn’t make bad things happen, but he can be trusted to get us through them, so we come out of those difficulties refined like pure gold.

 

What are you seeing?

Do you see the goodness of the Lord today? 

 


 

Last week my post was titled, “Let me tell you how blessed I am.”  I realized when I wrote it that my situation may be better than most in the world, yet, I could not have given thanks for a single thing on the list had it not been through God’s provision.

My life appears to be beautiful and blessed.  And it is.  The reason it appears that way is because I have chosen to be grateful.  Not long ago, I was grateful for one or two meals of oatmeal a day, sans milk.  I know what it is to exhaust all resources, to have yard sales to pay rent and put food on the table, to walk to destinations as there was no money for gas, to lose the roof over my head, and to be blessed by God’s people who choose to share of their abundance and their meagerness out of  love rather than be comfortable.

Each week this Joy Day! post is written as a reminder to myself of the goodness of the Lord.  Regardless of my circumstances, God is always good.  One hundred percent of the time.   He knows me, he loves me, and he takes care of me.  My idea of what my needs are may be different from his.  Most likely he is allowing these things to build my character and help me to depend more fully on him than on myself.

It’s easy to become egocentric when life’s journey takes twists we never imagine.  Twists we do not like, want, nor appreciate.  Yet, I am reminded that I must give thanks for each of these, because of what God will bring out of it and through it.  God really does work all things out for our good and his glory…

We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything
to work toward something good and beautiful
when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan.

Romans 8:28

This weekly reminder may be for you, as well.  If God chooses to use it to encourage your heart, that makes all of it even more valuable.

Please join me now for…..

Joy Day! :: AnExtraordinaryDay.net  #CountBlessings  #Joy


Today is Joy Day!

 

Want to increase your faith?  Want joy?

Join me in looking back over the past week and counting ‘seven’ – both the good and the not-so-good.  

I’ll start…

Thank you God for…

  1. reminding us that all ‘this’ has been filtered through your hand before we even experience it.
  2. disappointing appointments.  This loving your neighbor as yourself commandment…we really just don’t ‘get it’ do we?
  3. photos that I thought were forever lost.
  4. twenty-five cent bargains.
  5. happy joyful children.
  6. comfortable summer days.
  7. knowing all your promises are “Yes!” in Christ Jesus.


Now it’s YOUR turn!!

Join me in counting ‘seven.’
Scroll down to the comment section…Share Your Extraordinary Thoughts….and list your ‘seven.’
I dare you!

Want even more joy?  Take the Joy Dare here.


Thank you for stopping by today.
I appreciate you and your sweet comments make my day.

 

Joyfully!

Diane

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Comments

  1. Carolyn Ward says

    Oh, Diane, what a beautiful reading you gave us today! Thank you for speaking up for God & His Providence! Sooo much in this life we don’t understand, we don’t get it! But God makes all the difference as we give over to Him our uncertainties and go on trusting.
    Still praying for God to send you His answers & provision—Soon!

    • Diane says

      My friend…you are always such an encourager. Thank you!
      We don’t get much…”For now, we can only see a dim and blurry picture of things, as when we stare into polished metal. I realize that everything I know is only part of the big picture. But one day….”
      In the meantime…I’m grateful for God’s grace and mercy.
      Thanks for your prayers, Carolyn. I’m trusting God’s plan will unfold soon. 😉
      [hugs]

  2. Suzi says

    Why is it that we are able to trust God with big things but hold so tightly to the little ones? a bit controlling on my part 😉 but once everything broke and I saw how little control I actually do have I have finally learned to rest in Him for most things so that is #1&2. 1 is that it all broke and 2 giving up my self-sufficiency and trusting in His provision. 3. For a favorable judge’s decision that came Fri after 39 months of waiting and 7 years of disability 4.For many prayer warrior women with whom I am privileged to do life with 5. For my mom’s improvement following her car crash 6. For finishing 10 new soft Cotten or linen pillow covers to replace 10 scratchy or wool ones on our sofa! 7. For star fruit, bananas and mangos abundant on our trees

    • Diane says

      Oh Suzi…giving up our self-sufficiency…that is such a big one and our culture encourages us to take that false posture, too.
      I praise God with you for the big and long awaited answer to your prayers and for his goodness in your life in even the small things.
      May your week overflow with JOY! [hugs]

  3. Debbi Saunders says

    Diane, Your message today really spoke to me!! 5 or 6 years ago I was walking that same path.. I so related to your journey….
    I Thank God for:
    1. A wonderful visit with a Special friend that I have not seen in 2yrs. since her move to Tx.
    2.That I see the Lord’s healing work beginning in my brother..
    3. For the miracle healing of my friends 2month old grandson from a severe reaction to an immunization he took last week. Wed. he was near death and things looked grim! Today he is home!
    4. Being part of a new FB Prayer Warrior Page…
    5.For these beautiful breezy summer days and an abundance of Birds of all kinds at my feeder. Oh how I enjoy them. they make my yard come alive!
    5. My full time year round job, gas for my car to get there and for keeping my car running!
    6. for showing me what it means to “die to self” 6 years ago.
    7. for being more able to discern when you are speaking to me…through scripture, Godly friends, devotionals,even church signs and bumper stickers!!!

    • Diane says

      Debbi…I love reading your seven! God is working in and through you in so many amazing ways. I rejoice with you at his goodness and faithfulness. He is working right now on your behalf and I look forward to seeing how he works to answer your biggest prayer. [hugs]

  4. I love the preciously beautiful sentiments you shared. There is so much to ponder. Thank you so much.

    I hope you are enjoying the summer.

  5. Love the Augustine quote & this encouraging post. I’m visiting from the Grace at Home link-up. Blessings!

  6. It’s always such an encouragement to read what the Lord is doing in someone else’s life and your testimony to His mercy and grace is wonderful. You’re right-He’s not a fairy godfather! But He always has a perfect plan for our lives. Just pinned it to the Fridays Unfolded link board and thank you for sharing at Fridays Unfolded!

    Alison
    Nancherrow

    • Diane says

      Thanks Alison for your encouraging words. He really does have a perfect plan for us.
      Blessings…

  7. I just stumbled across your blog today. May I just say wow… and thank you. 🙂

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