Friday 27 March 2015

Words to Make You Weep by Susan L.

  "You only need more faith" has to be the cruellest "comfort" words spoken by Christians. It basically means, "Get over it! Suck it up! I don't have time to listen to your nonsense!"
  More faith doesn't make miracles. God does. More faith doesn't put an end to troubles, trials or difficult times. God does that, too. Those five little words are like a knife to the heart of those already in pain. They can throw a person into incredible despair that they simply aren't doing enough, believing hard enough, praying hard enough...the list goes on. And the guilt and shame moves in.
  God promised us He will give us sufficient for the day.
  There's another saying that, in a clumsy attempt to comfort, also chews us up. "God never gives us more than we can handle."
  Yes.
  He does.
  Often.
  Because then, and only then, do we learn to lean into Him. It's when we've nothing left that our faith truly shines. All it takes is a thimble full of belief, a hope in His Grace, and a willingness to surrender; to say, "I can't do this on my own any more. I need Your help."
  God's gift of sufficiency comes from Him.
  I think of Peter getting out of the boat in a raging sea when Jesus called to him, "Come." The Lord wasn't angry that he couldn't do the walk on his own. I am sure He smiled at him as He stretched out His hand to bring the frightened man up from beneath the water. I am sure He was pleased that Peter had trusted Him enough to get out of the boat in the first place. He might have thrown His arm over Peter's shoulder as He led their way back to the boat.
  When I was a young girl, I would walk beside my dad. My little hand was too small to hold his hand so I would hold his index finger as he gently cupped the rest of my hand in his rough and work worn palm. I never felt safer.  
  God's sufficiency is the hand of Jesus. Can you imagine how that must have felt to hold the hand of our Savior? It would be warm and soft yet strong and comforting in the midst of a storm.
  Thank You, Lord, for being my Father's hand when times are more than I can handle.
  "But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!" And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased." Mat 14:30-32
 

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