Day of Faith

As I was considering my prayerful time for today, I felt drawn to something, but I couldn't quite pinpoint it. When my wonderfully, faithful daughter shared this scripture with me, my eyes opened:

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

After saying, "duh, Jasmine, a little obvious," I was surprised this wasn't going to be a circle prayer around faith. I've mentioned faith in other prayers, but have never dedicated a prayer specifically to it. I'm shocked by this since faith is the foundation of a belief in God. He doesn't physically show up at your door saying, "hey, I'm God, follow me" (boy, wouldn't that be easier sometimes). He's not George Burns, smoking a cigar, playing games with the weather.

He's invisible, but I see Him every day. He's intangible, but I feel His comforting hands on my weary shoulders. He's silent, but I can hear Him loud and clear. In order to believe in something without "proof," we have to take a leap out of our comfort zone and wait to see things change. How do I know God exists, He's always present, and He loves me even in my most shameful moments?? Things change.

I have a friend who is experiencing God moments in ways he never has before. Like many of us, lifting to God and letting go seems impossible. I shared with him sometimes when I have felt nothing was going right and I was overwhelmed, the greatest gift for myself was handing it over to God. He tried this recently, probably with a hint of skepticism and hesitancy (you know, we've all been cautiously optimistic). But, the next day, incredible things happened. Those same issues burdening his spirit and weighing him down were lifted. He received encouraging words from a reliable resource telling him not to fret. God used this moment as a pivotal point in my friend's faith to say, "don't worry son, I've got this!" When we have faith in something outside ourselves, things change. 

Day 30: Heavenly Father, thank you for your love, your presence, and your role in my life. Omgoodness, I cannot imagine how lost I would be without my faith in you. I fear I would feel empty! You are the only antidepressant I need!!

Lord in Heaven, how do I teach faith? How do I convince someone so consumed with burdens you are real and you are listening? It pains me to know people continue living in the doldrums of life without you. Will my testimony, your Word, and my living be enough "evidence" the lost need to turn to you? Help me, Father! I plead for your wisdom to say the right thing at the right time for the ready person and draw him into a fulfilling life knowing you are by his side.

Father God, it's so easy to rationalize your miracles. We use science to "disprove" your existence. We convince ourselves all of creation was just chance. Why? Why do we try to explain you away? What is the harm in believing in you? Hypothetically, God, even if this prayer right now is just falling through the realm of ones and zeros, it's still positive. Just knowing you might exist is enough for me to want to please you. What do I have to lose? Lord, a relationship with you is a gain even if it all ends up just being imagined because I felt love, support, clarity, protection...and things changed.

I love you.