Updates / Leaps of Faith

If you’ve been a somewhat frequent guest here on BLL, you’ve probably noticed we haven’t posted anything recently.  Don’t worry, posts will be coming regularly again.  We’ve been very busy the last month, mainly this week.  So, why not use it as a teaching example?

We have been busy moving.  Not in the way that most couples (or even singles) move – that is, finding a job and a place, then resigning your current position, and moving in to your new life with just minor juggling.  We felt God’s call up to a certain city mainly for a church there, resigned our job (which included our housing, as we were live-on staff) and are now living with family (quite a blessing in a time of need, but every married couple needs their own private residence) temporarily as we search for jobs and a place to stay – and just relying upon God to provide those things, in the form that He wants them to be in.  Days turned to weeks, and discouragement lurked, waiting for a chance to ruin us.  We knew God was for sure calling us to that area, but didn’t know what to do in the meanwhile, or how to handle the situation.

One of the visits to our soon-to-be home church, the guest speaker’s sermon was on the three types of storms in life and how to handle them as Jesus did (sermon by Pastor Duane Vander Klok).  I will only explain a bit (ask for the link if you want to hear the message – it’s incredible).  To sum it up, the first type of storm is the type that Jesus spoke to (and we can too, as He gave us all authority), the second type was the one that Jesus walked on (go through, headed towards what you know is God’s will, trusting Him to smooth it out), and the third type is the one that Jesus went through (we just have to know He is with us and will get us through).

In all three of these storms, you need faith to get through.  You need faith to believe your statements in the name of Christ will work, you need faith to keep pressing towards what God has planned for you when it seems impossible, and you need faith to know that you will come out of this storm and be stronger than before.

Now what does faith look like?  Is it just hoping for things?  No, in this sense it’s recognizing God’s promises and character, and speaking them over your situations and life.  It’s understanding that He is true, and believing in that whole-heartedly.  So here’s where the fun begins…taking leaps of faith.

This is the part that’s very uncomfortable and very scary.  Sort of like the first time you had to jump off of a diving board into the deep end of the pool, but worse.  Here’s the good news though:  God comes through every time when you are seeking His will, and it is pretty much the only way to really grow in your faith (and growing in faith should be a constant goal for followers of Christ).  We took a leap of faith just last Friday – not a huge one, but a scary one.  With lots of risk of embarrassment.  But you know what?  God met us, and orchestrated some really interesting, supernatural events.  We’re almost to the full completion of this leap of faith, and we know exactly how it will turn out, as we have faith and God has already confirmed it so far.  So take a leap of faith today.  Maybe you don’t currently tithe (give weekly to a church/ministry), thinking that you can’t spare a nickel right now.  Trust God with it today – this is one of the first faith steps we took, and God has kept His promises to provide.  Maybe you know God has entrusted you with an idea, but don’t believe it will work.  Trust Him.  Seek His will for it and act on it, even if it seems insane.  Trusting God is a truly amazing experience – it unlocks so much blessing on your life, and it’s quite exciting – makes roller coasters seem lame.

The BOTTOM LINE:  Pray and see what area God wants you to step out in faith.  Trust His promises to provide and protect.