Prevailing Faith
“We know we’re coming full circle with God when we stand at a very similar crossroads where we made such a mess of life before, but this time we take a different road!”
I was on the phone with my best friend tonight just having some good ole girl talk, and as always, somehow, we end up on the topic of relationships. I see so many of my friends who are so frustrated, almost mad that they’re single. It’s not the plague, its being single. Sometimes I think other people are more bothered by it than the actual person who’s single sometimes. Can I just say this, if you are married, or in a relationship, stop putting pressure on your single friends to date someone. Sorry to all you who do this, but one of by big pet peeves are people that concisely talk about how sad they are that they are single. UGH!! Perry Noble said it best “For those of you that keep saying, I’m single, I’m single, I’m single…your gonna stay single, single, single! There is nothing wrong with you! I have been there, but we have to stop thinking that our relationships or lack of define us. As my friend and I were talking I remembered something I read in the book “Believing God” By Beth Moore, and it was convicting then and is now.
“Everyone who had been delivered from some area of bondage had also experienced times of testing. Whatever the course exam, the outcome of the pop quizzes, preparing us for it may include both our successes and failures. I believe God continues to test in an area until we pass. Sometimes He even seems to insist on an A. Ultimately, how the cycle continues is based on one of two things: Prevailing unbelief or prevailing belief.”
I remember when I finally got to a place where I was DONE! I had had my heart broken for the last time in my mind. I was DONE! I didn’t understand why it wasn’t happening. I was tired. I remember laying in the floor and crying out to God that I was tired of going around this same mountain. Help me to learn what you want me to learn, because I don’t want to go through this again. As Jacinta and I talked I remembered the words above and this is what I thought as I heard those words. “We are going to keep going around this mountain until you realize I AM enough. I AM what satisfies!”
Until we grasp that…we are going to continue to be frustrated with whatever it is. If you think you have to have that to be happy, then until you get it you won’t be satisfied. We need to realize that Jesus Christ is what satisfies. Until you realize that Jesus is enough and that He is what satisfies not a husband or wife you will probably stay single or be married and miserable. I don’t mean to so blunt, but whenever I talk to girls, the statement I get the most is “I think it’s so cool how content your are being single.” As if they can’t be. All I can think is well, why should I be miserable. I have Jesus Christ. He saved me and pulled me out of the pit and set my feet on a rock. It’s not a lack of a desire to be married, its realizing my joy, peace, fulfillment, purpose, value, worth doesn’t come from a human romance. I do long to be married one day, but it’s not the ache it use to be its’ just a desire. I believe that my God is good and faithful and sovereign and in His time and way I’ll get married, but my lack of a relationship doesn’t steal my joy. There are those days as my friend and I call them when you “have a day” when you long for it more than other days,but there is a peace and satisfaction in knowing Christ I can’t describe unless you experience it yourself. I remember praying this years ago “Lord, I want to long for you, more than I do an earthly romance.” When that happens chances are you will meet the person God has for you. But don’t put a timer on it. God has you and I where we are for a reason. There is a reason for the season. God always has a purpose! Trust in Him!
“God does not sit upon His throne with a flyswatter waiting to smack us at the first hint of doubt…as long as we wear these cumbersome suits of flesh, we are not going to be supermen flying high in the sky of faith. We are called to something far more elementary: to walk by faith. God most often looks for what prevails in our lives. If unbelief prevails, we find ourselves repeating the cycle of defeat. We may have different scenery but the pattern is the same.”-Believing God
Do you believe He will do it? I think that is the bigger question. Do you believe God will be faithful? I know that’s when I start to squirm and wonder “is this going to ever happen?” Boy, have I been there. Yet, to the glory of God, not in awhile. Belief FINALLY prevailed, and the old cycle broke. He retested me on some past areas, specifically this one, being satisfied in Him, and FINALLY I began passing more than failing and believing more than disbelieving. Prevailing belief then led to a far more consistent state of abiding in my Promised Land. The same will be true for you on your own timetable with God. If you have not yet experienced what I’m describing, I pray you will not rest until God takes you there!
If you feel you’ve been there with God, then soberly consider this with me that we can’t presume to always remain there. Neither cycle is necessarily permanent as long as we dwell on this earth. Our pattern or cycle can change and spiral up…or revert and spiral down. Unfortunately the Israelites did not abide in the freedom and prosperity of their Promised Land indefinably. The idolatry and disobedience…grew from roots of prevailing unbelief. You and I don’t have to follow suit. The Spirit of the living Christ abides in us, bearing faithfulness as fruit (Gal 5:22-23). We won’t walk in perfect faith for the rest of our lives, but we can walk in prevailing faith.
I was on the phone with my best friend tonight just having some good ole girl talk, and as always, somehow, we end up on the topic of relationships. I see so many of my friends who are so frustrated, almost mad that they’re single. It’s not the plague, its being single. Sometimes I think other people are more bothered by it than the actual person who’s single sometimes. Can I just say this, if you are married, or in a relationship, stop putting pressure on your single friends to date someone. Sorry to all you who do this, but one of by big pet peeves are people that concisely talk about how sad they are that they are single. UGH!! Perry Noble said it best “For those of you that keep saying, I’m single, I’m single, I’m single…your gonna stay single, single, single! There is nothing wrong with you! I have been there, but we have to stop thinking that our relationships or lack of define us. As my friend and I were talking I remembered something I read in the book “Believing God” By Beth Moore, and it was convicting then and is now.
“Everyone who had been delivered from some area of bondage had also experienced times of testing. Whatever the course exam, the outcome of the pop quizzes, preparing us for it may include both our successes and failures. I believe God continues to test in an area until we pass. Sometimes He even seems to insist on an A. Ultimately, how the cycle continues is based on one of two things: Prevailing unbelief or prevailing belief.”
I remember when I finally got to a place where I was DONE! I had had my heart broken for the last time in my mind. I was DONE! I didn’t understand why it wasn’t happening. I was tired. I remember laying in the floor and crying out to God that I was tired of going around this same mountain. Help me to learn what you want me to learn, because I don’t want to go through this again. As Jacinta and I talked I remembered the words above and this is what I thought as I heard those words. “We are going to keep going around this mountain until you realize I AM enough. I AM what satisfies!”
Until we grasp that…we are going to continue to be frustrated with whatever it is. If you think you have to have that to be happy, then until you get it you won’t be satisfied. We need to realize that Jesus Christ is what satisfies. Until you realize that Jesus is enough and that He is what satisfies not a husband or wife you will probably stay single or be married and miserable. I don’t mean to so blunt, but whenever I talk to girls, the statement I get the most is “I think it’s so cool how content your are being single.” As if they can’t be. All I can think is well, why should I be miserable. I have Jesus Christ. He saved me and pulled me out of the pit and set my feet on a rock. It’s not a lack of a desire to be married, its realizing my joy, peace, fulfillment, purpose, value, worth doesn’t come from a human romance. I do long to be married one day, but it’s not the ache it use to be its’ just a desire. I believe that my God is good and faithful and sovereign and in His time and way I’ll get married, but my lack of a relationship doesn’t steal my joy. There are those days as my friend and I call them when you “have a day” when you long for it more than other days,but there is a peace and satisfaction in knowing Christ I can’t describe unless you experience it yourself. I remember praying this years ago “Lord, I want to long for you, more than I do an earthly romance.” When that happens chances are you will meet the person God has for you. But don’t put a timer on it. God has you and I where we are for a reason. There is a reason for the season. God always has a purpose! Trust in Him!
“God does not sit upon His throne with a flyswatter waiting to smack us at the first hint of doubt…as long as we wear these cumbersome suits of flesh, we are not going to be supermen flying high in the sky of faith. We are called to something far more elementary: to walk by faith. God most often looks for what prevails in our lives. If unbelief prevails, we find ourselves repeating the cycle of defeat. We may have different scenery but the pattern is the same.”-Believing God
Do you believe He will do it? I think that is the bigger question. Do you believe God will be faithful? I know that’s when I start to squirm and wonder “is this going to ever happen?” Boy, have I been there. Yet, to the glory of God, not in awhile. Belief FINALLY prevailed, and the old cycle broke. He retested me on some past areas, specifically this one, being satisfied in Him, and FINALLY I began passing more than failing and believing more than disbelieving. Prevailing belief then led to a far more consistent state of abiding in my Promised Land. The same will be true for you on your own timetable with God. If you have not yet experienced what I’m describing, I pray you will not rest until God takes you there!
If you feel you’ve been there with God, then soberly consider this with me that we can’t presume to always remain there. Neither cycle is necessarily permanent as long as we dwell on this earth. Our pattern or cycle can change and spiral up…or revert and spiral down. Unfortunately the Israelites did not abide in the freedom and prosperity of their Promised Land indefinably. The idolatry and disobedience…grew from roots of prevailing unbelief. You and I don’t have to follow suit. The Spirit of the living Christ abides in us, bearing faithfulness as fruit (Gal 5:22-23). We won’t walk in perfect faith for the rest of our lives, but we can walk in prevailing faith.
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