Is our faith our responsibility? Scripture says to each is given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3). The apostles prayed to have the Lord increase their faith (Luke 17:5). Many theologians might argue that faith is like a muscle and can be increased with usage, but how can we?
If the Lord answers this prayer, but not the next one, does our faith move two squares forward and one step back? I can’t deny my faith in Christ. When I try to imagine myself living as the world lives the best I can come up with is an oatmeal-induced stupor. What would I do? Invest in art? Expand my wardrobe? If you can’t take anything from this world, what’s the sense of things?
Being a recovering addict, I’m also well aware of using people as a substitute for using drugs and if there’s no eternal consequence for my attitudes and relationships, then why not shuck and jive my way to the head of the cafeteria line?
Consequently my faith centers around the purpose and glory of God in putting me in play. The apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10: 13-15 that having hope and labor in the sphere that God has appointed you shall spread the Gospel as your faith is increased. We have an enemy who wants us neutralized and ineffective, isolated. Connecting favorably with other believers, with family, with inmates behind bars, with the public at large are all opportunities for us to be faithful in representing Christ’s call on our life and the influence of the Holy Spirit in our character (Galatians 5:22) and against these things there is no law. That might be miracle enough given our selfishness and humanity’s proclivity to be so irritating.
I’m beginning to trust He’s given me enough to go on and there may be more available. I don’t know that I’ll raise the dead anytime soon, but I believe I can retire my debts in time to be a blessing to my grandchildren. It may not look like walking on water, but I know when I’m getting my feet wet.
“He’s given me enough to go on and there may be more available”–Love that you can see this is enough for the “next thing.” Better to use what we have been given than to be given a bucketful that sits stagnant. Blessings