As the year 2020 comes to a joyous halt, we reminisce on the months we spent during the novel coronavirus in our safe space mustering new aspects to our beings whether through improving our skills, developing discipline in situations, harnessing our fullest potential or discovering purpose. Whichever way you have spent it, this may have been the hardest year for you to date and that’s even for the oldies who experienced Hurricane Gilbert.
The challenges presented this year have taught us so much about ourselves, about family members, about friends, about our environment that we may have overlooked on a regular day, week or over the past few years. But most of all, it has prepared us to “walk by faith, not by sight [living our lives in a manner consistent with our confident belief in God’s promises]—” (2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 7 AMP).
The Fighting ‘F’ Words
Faith is what I consider as one of the ‘Fighting ‘F’ Words’ that beams through the creases of doubt and overpower the other ‘Fighting ‘F’ Word’ of Fear. But where do we normally go wrong here? We forget that faith is an action word. Do you remember action words from pre-school that our teachers would tell us that they express movement? Yes, faith is that continuous work in believing that whatsoever is promised will be fulfilled.
According to Hebrews chapter 11 verse 1 AMP, faith is described as “the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].” One would conclude that this means scampering or acting upon something with no sense of direction. But no! This faith that is dubbed ‘crazy’, according to Pastor Mike Todd, is “thoughts or actions that lack reason but trusting fully in what you cannot explicitly prove.” So no, you’re not expected to leave your overworked 9-5 job with an awful boss and insensitive coworkers tomorrow because “God will provide and supply all your needs according to His riches in glory”. No, because faith does not cancel common sense. But it is about allowing the Holy Spirit to divinely lead you in seizing opportunities and taking risks that in the physical, you would have never agreed to. A spirit-led and not flesh led approach.
His Baby Risk Takers
As children of God, we assume risks to be problematic, preposterous and not applicable until a safe landing is guaranteed. We don’t want to live on the edge because we are cozy living on level ‘Safety’ of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs rather than trusting God’s divine instructions to “leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.” (Genesis chapter 12 verse 1 NLT).
Sometimes God will show you the summit and not the path and other times, He will show you the path and not the summit. That doesn’t mean that He will not fulfill His promises to you, He just needs you to continue to be solely dependent on Him to be the “lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” (Psalms chapter 119 verse 105).
It’s about trusting God even when He requests the craziest of things from us.
Many of us in the situation of Peter would disregard the invitation to walk on water because of us questioning our physical strength and our knowledge rather than trusting God. Not to mention the unreasonable and unrealistic ask for Abraham to “take now thy son, thine only son Isaac/and offer him there for a burnt offering” in Genesis chapter 22 verse 2. Remember this was the same long-awaited son that would begin the heir of “exceeding fruitful(ness)... nations…and kings shall come out of thee,” 5 chapters ago.
OUR PHYSICAL MAN CONTINUES TO QUESTION HIM:
- How can my loving Father promise me prosperity and wealth yet still I’m still going to bed hungry?
- How can He instruct me to move towards something that my ascribe status deems impossible, yet still He claims that He cares and understands.
- How can He own cattle upon a thousand hills, yet still I don’t even own my own and I am living on the brink of eviction?
Be it resolved that:
HE DOES CARE, but He just requires two things from us: faith and obedience.
Two things most of us struggle with and this year has highlighted it the most. We refuse to move in obedience to what God has instructed us to do coupled with faith in the Omnipotent – all Powerful – One. We continue to rely on our baby faith, trusting in our abilities which fades when trials come crashing in one after the other.
Nevertheless, be reminded that He is a Man of His Words with “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” (Jeremiah chapter 29 verse 11 NIV).
This however requires obedience like Noah – our savior – obedient to the instructions of God to “make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark,” (Genesis chapter 6 verse 14). This also requires you exercising your faith like Ruth and “ not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge,” (Ruth chapter 1 verse 16).
Stand with that dedication that no matter what the circumstances were in 2020, before or at the beginning of 2021, God will work it out for your good. God will turn around the situation and close the mouths of your enemies. God will do what seems crazy and impossible to everyone else.
Because what seems crazy in one season, is recognized as faith in another season. So walk in your 2021 with crazy faith that GOD WILL DO IT!
“Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables,” (Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 2) and await God’s instructions to move according to His will regarding your destiny.
Be continually obedient and stride in activated faith in the year 2021. It is your year of overflow!