If God healed me of one of my issues, there would be no reason to go to the doctor who is treating me for that issue. The truth is though that doctor is searching for God. Over the last two years I have developed a safe and trusted relationship with him as I listen to his thoughts, and opinions and he listens to mine. If God healed me, who would be there to share the gospel with him? Sure, God could send a new patient, but building that relationship takes time. Also, would the next patient be open to share God?
If God provided all the money I would ever need, all at one time, would I continue to rely on him to meet my every need? There was one time I was asking God for money to pay off a credit card and a small loan. I sensed He asked me, “How much money do you need today?” I thought about it and said, “Well, actually all the monthly bills have been paid and there is food in the kitchen and gas in the car.” Then God said, “Then why are you asking me for money today? I will provide as you have need.”
How you respond, when you need God to move in your life, is a benchmark of your trust in him.
If God showed you your spouse before it was time what do you think would happen? I tend to think you would contact them and make a mess of things and not wind up together. Why? Because it wasn’t time.
If God told you about losing your job in advance, most would put matters in their own hands and go get a new job before it was time. That sounds like good planning, but it robs you of the opportunity to act on your faith. The Lord God almighty, might lead you to a better job making even more money than the job you found.
Yes, there are times when God acts on your behalf before you need it, or does tell you what is about to happen before it does, but most of the time He knows it is best to let these things happen to you and then see how you react to them.
Faith isn’t built in a time of need, but displayed.
God can do anything, at any time. Knowing that is why we need to trust him and his timing. God loves it when his child, who is walking through a very dark time in their life, reaches over and takes hold of his hand. There’s no reason to say, “If God…”, but there is every reason to say, “God, I need you.”
Copyright © 2020 Mark Brady. All rights reserved.
What do you do when someone consistently shows you hate? They would not admit it, but you know they must because they can’t ever say anything nice to you. They can’t celebrate your accomplishments in life like retiring early, getting to move back to one’s hometown and buying a house, and not one kind word spoken when you got remarried, finding love again, after years of being divorced.
After living here four months, it finally happened! I got very sick this past week from being an American and being careless with the water here in the Philippines. While I was lying in my hospital bed, there was a series of thoughts like, “Is God punishing me? Am I not praying enough? What lesson is God wanting me to learn? Should I be praying more?” Then there are those who try to bargain with God like, “God, I will go to church, if you get me out of this.”
Exhibiting true forgiveness, allows you to be in the presence of the one you forgave. The same goes for God. That is why accepting Jesus, for the atonement of our sins, is so important.
Be quiet mind,
You might be asking, “How would I know?”
brady, mark a. 