faith | From The Committed Heart

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Faith is put into practice when you step away from the familiar.

For almost twenty years we’ve been comfortable in our church. It’s where my husband was saved, where I rededicated my life, it’s also where I met and married my husband, then our kids were dedicated and baptized there too. We didn’t just attend church, we were the church, we were leaders and volunteers!

Then an opportunity came, a promotion to be exact! It wasn’t a surprise to us, I had been praying about moving for a couple years now. I knew it was coming and I wasn’t happy about it. I’m a family person, I love being around family, and making memories with them! One early morning, on my way home from the gym, I was praying. I spoke the words, “I pray Javi walks in your will….”, and as soon as the words left my tongue peace came over me. I heard God say, “You’ve been praying this over and over, I’ve heard your prayers, do you not think He’s in my will? He’s in my will because you have prayed for it.” At that moment my heart was ready to go wherever God opened the door.

Five or six months later my husband was promoted and we were moving to Georgia! Now we had to have faith for God to sell our house, help us to find a new house in a good location, and a new church!

Again, I faced a time of doubt. I was flat out miserable because I was doubting God. It was like I was in a depression state, a needy loaf, constantly asking my husband for reassurance. Day after day I continued to worry about our house not selling. Then one Sunday morning on the way to church, I heard God speak to my heart. “When you are ready to stop all of this, I’m here,” so out loud I said, “Enough! I’m done worrying and fretting, this is in God’s hands and I’m done trying to be God!” Again, within seconds I felt peace and a calmness that can only come from Him.

I would love to tell you that our house has sold, but it hasn’t! Now ask me how are you doing? Well, I’m doing fabulous, thanks for asking! Yes, I can confidently say I’m doing great because I don’t just know who is in charge, but I believe it!

We have visited four churches, in all different areas of Georgia, since moving up here last month. If our house would have sold a month ago we would be at one of those churches. I believe it wasn’t meant for us to attend there, not because it’s a bad church, but it wasn’t the church for us. I choose to look at our house not selling as God’s hands moving in our favor. When He closes one door, He will open another. We are on an amazing adventure and our faith is growing as we lean fully on His direction and wisdom.

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:6

“And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?” Luke 18:7

In the Parable of the Persistent Widow, you find a woman desperate…day after day she pleas her case to the unjust judge. Day after day, she returns stating her petition, until finally the judge says, “I will see that you get justice, so that you won’t eventually wear me out with your coming!” Ha, can you imagine being so persistent with your appeal that a person waves a white flag and basically says, “okay, okay, just leave me alone, you’re annoying me!”

The judge doesn’t grant her justice because he was a christian. The Bible tells us, he did not fear God. The judge also didn’t grant her justice because he felt sorry for her, in Luke it states he did not care about men. No, the judge granted her justice because she was persistent in her prayers.

Jesus gives this parable to his disciples to show them that they should always pray and not give up. In verse 8 of Luke chapter 18, it says, the only time we should stop praying for something is Christ’s return…“When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” The demonstration of that faith is persistent prayer. When you stop believing a prayer will be answered, you stop praying. You have given up hope.

What if I were to tell you that your answer is only a prayer away? What if I were to say your healing is around the corner? What if I were to say peace is just a breath away? Let me encourage you friend to not give up! Be persistent and faithful in your prayers.

Persistent prayer is the demonstration of faith in God who, while at times may delay His answers, will always act decisively and justly with respect to His people.

Like a father or mother wants their children to come to them, even more so does our Heavenly Father.