The most recent couple of months have certainly tested how real our faith is. Often the true test of of faith is when things aren’t going your way not when things are fine.
A few weeks ago I was at the mid week meeting for our Church and to be honest I really didn’t want to go. I had finished work late and my wife was already there and so I knew she wanted to meet me there. I arrived and hung on the outside of the worship time and just kinda half committed to going deeper in His presence.
Just a little bit of faith
This is all God needed from me and it was just that little bit of faith shown by me that He used. It reminded me of the mustard seed faith spoken of in the Gospels. Just a tiny little seed, but the impact on that seed once exposed to the elements that create great growth, can turn it into a massive tree. If I was that seed just that little bit of openness had the ability to change my life right there and then in that meeting.
I remember clearly God speaking these words into my heart “am I enough for you, son?” and it was those words that presented me with a choice to respond. It was a real question and one that I really had to look deep into myself to answer.
At this time I remember thinking about all the things I had added to my list of life to be happy and content. This consisted of my dreams, my calling, my future family and so much more. I had somehow come to a place where I needed the Gospel plus more to be fulfilled.
I remember feeling so selfish at the time because when I really thought about what the Gospel was and is I was immediately reminded about the incredible gift Jesus’ cross and resurrection was to me. As a 16 year old lost and broken and trying to add a bunch of things to my life that certainly weren’t fulfilling, this was the place where the Gospel changed my life.
I remember at the time thinking that there wasn’t anything else in this life other than knowing that his Gospel is in my heart. As a result my relationship with this awesome Father had become so real that it was more than enough.
So when those words were spoken into my heart that night I knew that there was only one right response and that was “Yes, you are enough, you are my everything and thank you for your Son”
For God so loved the world
Usually when you see a bible verse in public it is this one. In this verse we find the answer to complete wholeness. I see this verse time and time again in the cities I frequent each week and actually even remember seeing this verse on the back of a taxi in Fiji nine years ago on my honeymoon.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life’. John chapter 3 verse 16.
There is something so powerful about this verse that changes lives daily around the world. In this verse we discover a life that is beyond circumstance or situation. A life that is hidden in God (Colossians Chapter 3 verse 3) and a life that enables us to navigate whatever life throws at us.
I think I just needed to come back to a place where I made the focus not about me and my hopes and dreams, but rather to remember once again to turn my heart back the realisation that it is to have the gift of a real, intimate and beyond words relationship with the God that gives me every single breath that I breathe.
When you come to the realisation that God is enough you will find this is where true rest is found.
Justin Monaghan is currently launching as a professional prophetic artist under the label JR Faith Creations. He is married to Liana and lives at the beautiful beach of Port Willunga. They run a creative home fellowship to see the creatives rise up to their full potential for the Kingdom of God.
Check out JR Faith Creations to see some of his art at www.jrfaithcreations.com