Have you ever found that you believe something to be true in your mind, but it doesn’t translate to how you’re reacting in your circumstances?
Recently I was burdened about a certain situation. It came to mind often throughout the day. Whenever it did, I tried to take it to God. My prayer life became quite busy!
And while I’d like to say that I was a great woman of faith and trusted God to answer in His way and in His time, I wasn’t. Rather, I still found myself fretting and worrying about this situation that was mostly out of my control.
I knew God could answer. I prayed that His will would be done. In this instance, it was fairly clear what the right outcome should be.
After a whole lot of praying, and more time passing than I wanted to, God answered. And, as is often the case, I learned a lot through the hard days and in the waiting.
As I look back on it now, I’m sure this thought hovered in the back of my mind, even though I didn’t vocalize it. “God, this one might be too hard for you.”
After all, there were people involved whose hearts needed to be changed. It was beyond my realm of control…but not His.
In Numbers 11, Moses doubts God. He’s in the wilderness with a multitude of griping Israelites. God just promised to provide meat for all of them to eat for a month. When Moses – who’s seen the ten plagues brought down on Egypt and walked through the Red Sea on dry land – questions God about how this can happen, God replies,
“Is the Lord’s hand waxed short? thou shalt see now whether my word shall come to pass unto thee or not.”
A quote about this verse from the Jamieson/Fausset/Brown commentary caught my attention.
“The great leader, struck with a promise so astonishing as that of suddenly furnishing, in the midst of the desert, more than two millions of people with flesh for a whole month, betrayed an incredulous spirit, surprising in one who had witnessed so many stupendous miracles.”
Actually, maybe it’s not that surprising. Moses was human. And I know how easy it is, in spite of all that God’s done for me in the past, to doubt that He’s able to do it again.
Slow to learn, that’s me.
But God did what Moses thought was impossible. Because there’s nothing that’s too hard for God. He “that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20) is still in the business of answering prayer.
His power isn’t diminished. The same God of the Old Testament patriarchs is the One we pray to today. He’s just as able to meet our needs and answer our prayers as He was back then.
What do you need the Lord to do for you? Is there something you’ve been praying for – as best you know in God’s will – yet you struggle to find the faith to believe that He can accomplish it?
The Lord’s hand is not waxed short. Whether we have a personal need, a heartbreaking family situation, or any other circumstance we feel is too difficult for God to impact, remember – God is powerful. The “Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead” (Romans 8:11) is alive and active.
May we be faithful to pray and to trust, then stand amazed as we see Him work.
Tracey, how timely! I, am struggling – yet again! – with , “But, God, what if….” I pray daily for grace to trust Him more! Thank you for the encouragement and the reminder.
I’m thankful it was an encouragement to you. I’m often in those “yet again” moments, too!
Oh, yes! I have had that thought that God can do anything BUT this. Then I think how foolish that sounds. Thank you for letting me know that I’m not alone!
You’re definitely not alone 🙂 It does sound foolish when we put it that way, but I’m afraid that too often that’s how I’m acting, even if I’m not saying it out loud.
AMEN!!! For me, it’s not that I have a hard time believing that God can do anything for me; it’s harder for me to remember that in His eyes, I am actually worthy of Him doing them for me over and over and over again. In His eyes, we are worthy of MORE than ONE miracle. That’s where my questioning, “Can He *really* do this for me?” comes from. I KNOW He is able, but it’s hard to believe that I’m worthy enough sometimes for Him to do it again and again and again and again.
I love your take on this – and it’s so true! Perhaps because I know how impatient I get with others (even family, sadly) when it seems like I have to keep doing the same things for them over and over again, I transfer that to how I feel God must react to me. SO thankful that’s not the case!!
Needed this, Tracey…as I always need your wisdom and honest perspective. God is working while we’re waiting!
Thank you, Elizabeth!! Yes, He is!