Growing in Faith

Every so often, God presents Christians with an opportunity to grow in faith. I will be honest and admit that I have shied away from some of those opportunities and as a result my relationship with God suffered. I have had periods in my life where people I worked with did not even know I was a Christian because my behavior and my language did not reflect it. It is those memories that rekindle the fire within me that Christ started more than 26 years ago. But sometimes I still stumble when presented with a hurdle to jump.

I have come upon one of those hurdles in my life. The small hurdles are easy. You can usually see the other side, size up the size of the task, and think, "With a little boost from God, I know I can make this." The medium hurdles require a little more faith, a little more stamina, and a bigger boost from God. The large hurdles are the toughies. You can't see over the hurdle. You aren't even sure how big or how long of a jump is going to be needed. And you need to fully rely on God to get your through it. I am reminded of Indiana Jones in his third movie where he had to step out into a great abyss and believe that the footbridge was going to be there. You have to believe that God is there with a larger goal that you can't even imagine.

These hurdles are unique to each person. For me at this time in my life, this enormous hurdle is walking in obedience while my husband obeys God. If there is anything I have learned from reading the Bible, it is that God's call for obedience often affected an entire family. When Abram was called from his homeland in Ur to "go to the land [God would show him]," he took his entire entourage with him, including his wife. Did she want to go? Did she fully understand or believe that Abram had received a word from God? Was she concerned that no final destination was provided when God simply said "go"? The Bible doesn't tell us, but it does list her as one of the ones who left with Abram.

Now, I don't believe God is calling Chad to be another patriarch, but I do think that I must learn that sometimes my obedience means supporting my husband and setting aside some personal agendas while he steps out into the abyss, fully believing that God is there to carry him across - one step at a time. That means having time with God every day, reading His Word daily, and remembering how God is always faithful to keep His promises.

As I look upon this hurdle, I realize that the bigger the hurdle, the greater my faith has to be. How will my faith size up? I am praying that the biggest hurdles are yet to come.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengenths me." Philippians 4:13