God, are You for real?!
Lord, are you for real? Do you hear me? Does it matter if I pray? I confess I asked God each of these questions at one time or another—more than once, I’m sure. Most believers do. We read God’s promises in the Bible, but His silence in our circumstances provokes us to doubt. We exhaust all earthly hope for solutions to our predicament, asking for wisdom, praying for a miracle—but nothing seems to change. So, we wonder about the reality of our faith.
God never wonders. “For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust,” Psalm 103:14. Our doubt does not diminish His power. His existence doesn’t hinge on our belief. Though[tg1] Jesus said, “Oh you of little faith” to His disciples, He also reminded them a little faith is sufficient—just a mustard seed-sized faith can move a mountain (Matthew 17:20).
That’s all the faith I could muster during a wilderness wandering in my life. My husband was between church ministries, and our bank balance looked bleak. We had been praying for over a year about where we should go next. My husband applied for many pastoral positions, but we hadn’t found the right fit yet. My weary soul begged for God’s affirmation. I spent a day fasting and praying, “Lord, do you even hear me? Do my prayers make any difference?”
The day after this time of fasting, I went to my job as a retail associate. A friend I hadn’t seen for years showed up at my register. My friend, Kerri, delighted mothering her handful of little boys, but she enjoyed the company of my teenage daughters and me. So, I prayed the Lord would give her a daughter of her own. I prayed for several years and many times. I thought for sure she’d get a girl the last time she was expecting, but then I heard she had another boy. So, there she stood, right in front of me with a baby girl—her baby girl—straddling her hip. I wept for joy.
“Yes, Teri, I do hear you,” the Holy Spirit impressed my heart, “Yes, your prayers do matter.”
With that one encounter, the Lord answered my prayers for Kerri and my desire to know if my prayers matter—a two-for!
God responded to my itty, bitty, fragile trust and His intercession increased my faith. He alone completes what He starts in us. “He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” Philippians 1:6.
There will be times we cry out like the father of the boy with seizures, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief!” Jesus hears the honest confessions of those who struggle with feeble faith. He meets us there. His answers often surprise us, but with each act of His faithfulness—God grows our faith.
Have you seen God faithfully show up when you were doubting? How did that experience increase your faith?
Loved this…
“ Jesus hears the honest confessions of those who struggle with feeble faith. He meets us there. His answers often surprise us, but with each act of His faithfulness—God grows our faith..”
☺️ Thank you.