27 September 2015

Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief

If we have no anxiety we are not alive. Anxiety is proof of our mortal existence. 

But anxiety it is also proof of our lack of faith despite all the things that God has declared to us and shown us. I have repeatedly seen the fulfillment of God’s promises.  


I have been making an effort over the last years to be more faithful in terms of the personal inspiration I receive. For instance, a few days ago, something very important was supposed to take place, which did not. I was so tempted to call the person involved, but the Spirit of the Lord told me not to. Instead, I was supposed to be patient and just wait. I was obedient to the promptings of the Spirit—but I kept asking God for reassurance that indeed I had understood Him correctly. Through His tender mercies God provided the requested reassurance after each of these repeated requests. I refrained from making that phone call. The next day, the issue was solved without my interference. 


While this issue involved only waiting for a day, others have meant waiting for months. But at the end, God’s promises always, always have come through. I believe Heavenly Father, with everlasting patience, is teaching me some very important lessons about not fretting. 


In Matthew we read: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought [in Greek, do not fret—GB, μεριμνᾶτε (see μεριμνάω). “ to be apprehensive, have anxiety, be anxious, be {unduly} concerned” (BDAG).] . . . [for the things associated with our mortality] . . . O ye of little faith? . . . for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought [once again, do not fret, from μεριμνήσητε] for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil [רָע, not moral evil, but the little and big misfortunes associated with being alive, see Isaiah 45:7, κακία, 3rd definition, “a state involving difficult circumstances, trouble, misfortune” (BDAG).] thereof” (Matthew 6:25, 30b, 32b-34). 


How I hope the day will come when I not only heed the Lord’s inspiration for me, but accept His support without asking for repeated reassurances. When I refuse to fret and thus cease to be of little faith. "Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24).

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