Steps of Faith: Kimberly

Another week.. another post. I've never actually met Kim either. It's funny how things like that work. We've done a good bit of emailing back and forth about James, so I decided I'd ask her to share something for Steps of Faith too. I am excited to share this post with you today!

The Benefit of Believing

When life hurts (and it will), it is so very tempting to throw in the towel.  There is much temptation to give up, wash your hands of the mess, find joy elsewhere, be anonymous, etc. 

But, oh, our Great and Healing Father doesn’t want that for our lives…yours or mine!

The mess in our lives is definitely not out of his jurisdiction and its most decidedly not above his pay grade.  But, mess is a result of sin (either ours or someone else’s).  You know, sin.  In the Garden of Eden, there was no mess.  There were no weeds: everything was ordered, pristine and perfect, and that included relationships.  Then sin came into the world.  Ultimately the first act of sin came down to belief.  Eve didn’t believe that God was REALLY true to His Word.

And our temptation – when we’ve been hurt by others – is to believe that God can’t heal, redeem and bring great fruit from our pain.  And ladies…he so can!  And will!

Why is this a step of faith for me now?  The past two years of my life has brought both tremendous joy and unbelievable pain.  Nights filled with laughter and love and tears-soaked pillows.  So, what are my options?

I can avoid community and relationship with other people forever…or I can believe God at his Word when He says:

1.        Isaiah 61.1-3: “The Spirt of the Lord is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit, that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”  We are the poor, the brokenhearted, the captives, the bound, those who mourn, the faint…but God is able to change all of that!

2.       Psalm 84:10-12: “For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.  I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.  For the LORD God is a sun and shield, the LORD bestows favor and honor.  No good thing will he withhold from those who walk uprightly.  O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you.”  Do we really believe that we will be blessed if we trust in the Lord?

3.       Romans 8:28-31: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.  And those whom he predestined he also called and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.  What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things.”  Do we believe that God has a perfect plan of for our lives?

The above verses are amazing and true.  But, unless I believe them with a faith given to me by the Holy Spirit and heart fully stayed on my God who works these truths in my life – there won’t be benefit for them in my life.  I can stay enslaved.  I can stay bitter.  Or I can rejoice in my God who works wonders with everything in my life – even the pain.

Reap the benefits of believing!