I’ve come to realize that we humans are quite fickle. Over and over we want to define who God is by our own standards and expectations. We take our circumstances and use them to show others who we think God is, instead of seeking all of who God is and using Him to define our circumstances.
The result of our efforts is not bringing people into the church, it is instead driving many out, including our own children.
They want nothing to do with what they see as a superficial belief system.
If we want to win people to Christ we have to be real and we have to be honest about who God is. We can not simply latch on to whatever attribute suits our circumstance-of-the-day. If we want our children to make a decision to follow God we need to live our faith authentically in front of them. Telling them what’s right and wrong is not enough. They need to see us making right decisions; choosing to turn our backs against the world when it attempts to pull us from the hand of God.
This path of struggle and trial has taught me a lot about myself and while it has been increasingly difficult, it has driven me to His word to discover who He is.
While Miranda was alive and fighting for each day, we heard from people all over the world who held our daughter in their prayers. Everyone prayed that our daughter would be healed and come home with us.
Vince and I prayed that His will would be done, that we desired for our daughter to be with us, but that we were submitted to His will.
Our daughter died.
He answered our prayers.
Miranda was healed, but not in the way everyone thought she would or should.
Some people questioned how that could be God’s will when so many were praying in His name for her healing.
Most people said nothing, the immediate had passed and they moved on.
They were focused on one aspect of God… The Healer.
How does our view of Him change when healing doesn’t happen the way we’ve had our hearts set on? We’ve forgotten that the God who heals is the same God that commands obedience. The God that loves is the same God of wrath. Our God who provides is the same God who disciplines. People often quote Jeremiah 29:11 (“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”) as a promise that God will keep us from harm. They fail to see from the surrounding verses that this promise wouldn’t come to be until after 70 years in exile. This promise would be for the next generation.
We have to endure the trial to see the promise.
If we only focus on a single aspect of Him we are left with a shallow faith.
God is bigger than our ability to define Him.
While I dread that my children have been exposed to the sadness of death, I am thankful that we are able to teach them that God is good because He Is, not because of our circumstances. We also have the opportunity to speak to them about honesty in a deeper way than before. We can teach them about being honest and open before God.
Knowing that He is good does not mean we accept Miranda’s death with out question. He knows our hearts; He knows we are sad, disappointed, angry, and confused. He is bigger and stronger than our questioning and when we lay it before Him, He guides us through the healing.
Bringing our questions to God doesn’t mean that we lack faith in Him, it means we know that He holds the answers.
We need to leave the “everything is fine” facade behind and get real with each other. Through our sincerity and honesty others will be drawn to Christ as they seek to understand how we, as believers, can handle adversity while keeping Christ on the throne.
Being a Christian isn’t an exemption from trial, it is a life-preserver through it and the promise that it isn’t without purpose. The more honest we can be about the very real tribulations to come, the stronger a foundation we will lay for genuine belief and healthy relationship with The Savior.
Don’t tie yourself to The Rock with a single thread and expect that anyone can hang on through the storm. Reinforce the supports that keep you grounded in faith.
This post is being shared with the Women Living Well Wednesday link-up. Be sure to visit other contributors.
needed that <3
It is a reminder we all need, and need often.
Wow – we must be on the same page today. I wrote about the exact same thing – it’s so important to be real. 🙂 lauren, lholmes79.wordpress.com
Thanks Lauren. I’m heading over to read your post. I think it is of highest importance that we embrace all that God is as our Savior, He is so much more than our thoughts can piece together… and the more real we are the more contagious our fire for Christ will be!