He’s the giver of every good thing you might lose, and he’s the giver of every comfort or pleasure you might crave. And better than any of his other gifts, he holds out himself, the gift that surpasses every other one. Desiring God
I struggled with unbelief too— like most of us when God is calling us to cross the Red Sea, when fears and worries are too much to bear; asking if He would be near.
We want clarity—God just wants us to come closer.
The mourning season is done; you are allowed to grieve over broken dreams, discouragements in life, miseries, and failings. At times, it's the only way you can turn back to His arms, it's the only way to be more intimate with Him because when you're about halfway through your life, you realize God has never done anything halfway and you've got to live wholeheartedly before it's too late.- Ann Voskamp
Give me faith Lord. Please show me you're real. I've been praying this prayer these days while holding my tears; I knew Him but I realized I couldn't trust Him. Daily surrender because His grace is sufficient every day. Though I can't see His footsteps and I can't even trace His hands, the little things He's been doing are visible in my eyes and draw me closer to Him. He's real, He is.
My faith was clouded with unbelief whenever He wanted me to leap into much bigger things.
We want greater clarity when what we need is deeper trust.
And this reminds me of her story; a woman who come closer to Jesus despite of her own struggles. A woman of faith and had deeper trust in Jesus.
25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”
31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”
32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”
Matthew 9:20-22,Mark 5:25-34,Luke 8:43-48
just one touch of His garment...
just one moment with Him , just one encounter with Him, I shall be made well.
She was bleeding for twelve years; her condition was embarrassing and she would be condemned for touching Jesus and being in a crowd thus she desire to be hidden and hoping she would be healed.
Yet, Jesus took notice of her. He did it so that she would not think she had stolen a blessing from Jesus, and so she would never feel that she needed to hide from Him.
Jesus healed her, sought after her, and called her daughter.
The bleeding woman's faith has healed her. “She was ignorant enough to think that healing went from him unconsciously, yet her faith lived despite her ignorance, and triumphed despite her bashfulness.” (Spurgeon)
She had an unrelenting desire to be healed. She longed to have just one moment with Jesus, even if it meant just touching the hem of his garment. Yet, Jesus noticed her faith, searched for her, and gave his full attention to her in the midst of many people. She was seen, known, and acknowledged, and to be called someone's daughter exceeded her expectations. She received her healing and was not kept hidden. Everyone knew of her faith and even today, her story continues to resonate.
To desire to come closer, to have one moment with Jesus, and to trust Him is to love Him more but most of us fail to do because of our unbelief.
I am the way and the truth and the life. John 14:6
I feel like we often mention this one verse when sharing the gospel, but I've been struggling to actually live by it. Meryl, have you ever forgotten that Jesus is the only way, the truth, and the life? Have you forgotten that if you follow His commands, you'll be in the center of His will and ready for any special assignment He has for you?
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
When you believe that nothing significant can happen through you, you have said more about your belief in God that you have said about yourself. Experiencing God
Just come closer to Him, desire Him more, walk according to His Word and surely you'll see extraordinary thing because He is able. Just come to Him. The world has yet to witness the amazing things that God can accomplish in, for, and through a person who is entirely devoted to Him. Jesus offers healing, and He wants you to know that you are not invisible. He calls you His beloved daughter.
Therefore, if you find yourself struggling with disbelief, worrying about what the future holds, feeling lost and purposeless, do not despair. Take one step closer to Him, put your trust in Jesus, and you will be saved. Surely, your life will spring into a new season, a new chapter, a new creation— therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17
And if you are like me, wavering on the path to God, afraid to take steps for His glory, doubting His power and majesty, and afraid to say, "Send me, Lord. Use me, Lord." we must get rid of our self-centeredness, which is a subtle trap. Being God-centered requires a daily death of self and submission to God. Surely, He will uphold us with His hand and bring the restoration that our soul needs.
May we find our selves coming closer to Him, wanting Him more, and desiring to take up the cross and follow Him.
As it is written in Romans 8:31-32 " What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
Keep in mind, you have Jesus!
The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.25 I was young and now I am old,
Psalm 37:23-26
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.[a]
“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—
Joel 2:25-26
the great locust and the young locust,
the other locusts and the locust swarm[a]—
my great army that I sent among you.
26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,
and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has worked wonders for you;
never again will my people be shamed.
