Which seems bigger, your problems or your God? If your problems are dwarfing your faith, you may need a bigger God.
When Larry attended Grace Theological Seminary, our family lived on a small lake in northern Indiana right below the Snowbelt. My jaw dropped the first time I saw heavy trucks travel across frozen water. When we moved to Raleigh, my kindergarten-aged son remembered the trucks on the lake. He tried to scoot across a North Carolina pond after only a few days of freezing weather. Thankfully, he fell through at the shallow edge.
My son’s experience presented a great object lesson. Faith is only as reliable as its object. Great faith in thin ice can’t hold up a child. The thickness of the ice, not the driver’s faith, held up the truck in Indiana.
Rahab, an Unexpected Example of Faith
Joshua chapters two and six tell the story of God’s deliverance of a pagan prostitute. Rahab heard that God promised to give her country to Israel. She heard how God had defeated stronger armies for Israel’s sake. He’d even parted the Red Sea decades earlier to deliver Israel from Pharaoh.
Rahab heard these stories and dared to ask God to deliver her and her family when he destroyed her country. Her faith worked because she trusted a great God, not because of the size of her faith, the depth of her knowledge, or the breadth of her experience.
Have you ever thought, When I have more spiritual knowledge and experience, then I’ll boldly trust God? Thirty-eight years before Rahab hid the two spies in her inn, Moses had sent twelve spies into the Promised Land. Ten of the twelve Hebrew spies believed their eyes instead of God’s promises.
Have you ever thought, when I have more spiritual knowledge and experience, then I’ll boldly trust God? #faith #Rahab busts that myth. Click To TweetThe men that had personally witnessed God’s ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea believed their enemies viewed them as grasshoppers to be squashed. They were wrong. When Jericho looked at Israel, they didn’t see grasshoppers. They saw a big God who fought for his people. And their hearts melted in fear.
In What Are You Trusting?
Physical senses are unreliable indicators of spiritual realities. We can’t see God’s power or plan with human eyes. God and his Word are the objects of unshakable faith. Those who trust in him will not be disappointed.
The ten spies measured their chances for success by comparing themselves with their enemies. Their bad report caused all of Israel to rebel against God. They should have compared their enemies to their God. Their lack of faith harmed the loved ones they’d hoped to protect.
God closed the Promised Land to that rebellious generation. More knowledge, more experiences, and more time never grow passive faith.
Many things distract us from simple faith. We begin our journey trusting God to guide. Somewhere in our walk, we discover we’ve slipped into trusting our ability to hear. We trust God’s promise to provide, but circumstances shake us, and we begin to rely on our capacity to produce. Despite our best efforts, feelings vacillate, negative thoughts attack, and our five senses redefine spiritual realities.
Paul wrote: “I know whom I have believed,” not what (2 Tim. 1:12; emphasis mine). Jesus alone remains the same “yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). He alone is the unshakable object of faith. Every day we need to remember the size of our God.
On what are you focused, the size of your problems, or the size of your God?
Adapted from Little Women, Big God
Blessings,
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A “bigger God”; interesting question. When I read the title, I thought, “Perhaps then this person’s god is lowercase.” My God is big enough for whatever I face in life. He’s always been that, but I had to find that out for myself in small increments. Through the years, with each instance of trusting Him with the “small things” of life and learning to trust His Word, I find it much easier today to trust Him through faith with the big things that happen to/in my life. God has always kept His Word and delivered on His promises. Having discovered this in my own life makes my faith in Him even deeper. What an encouraging post and wonderful thoughts you’ve left me with today ma’am.
Thank you, J.D. Of course God is always big, but as you pointed out, as we only discover that as we walk with Him.
I know whom I have believed. May we be found faithful to the only one who is trustworthy. Great message, Debbie. God bless!
Yes! May we. Thanks, Nancy.
So true-when I need a bigger God I need to upsize my faith! Great teaching here…
It’s easy to put our trust in the wrong things. Thanks, Jan.
“My hope is built on nothing less…”
Amen!
Beautifully said, Debbie. I’ve been going through a lot of unexpected painful issues the past 8 months. I have been guilty of putting more trust/comparison in my ability than in how big our God is- how he has conquered death. So with my trust in Him my small steps forward can rest in his open arms and unconditional love to help me through this difficult time. I’m happy to have found your blog from being your neighbor on Let’s Have Coffee link up. Thank you for sharing your faith
Kathleen, pain can certainly absorb us and fog our vision. He is big enough for our every trial. Often it’s only being in those hard spots that we learn that. Blessings to you, my friend.
I am so grateful that as the years pass and my journey with God has deepened, I am constantly learning to trust Him more and more.
Yes, Joanne. I agree. One of the sweet blessings that comes from walking with Him.
I so often need to remember this truth! He can do more than we ask or imagine and, yet, I often limit Him to less. There are even times I’ve caught myself not even imagining Him doing anything in a situation. It’s easy to simply dwell on the situation without seeking His help. May we remember He is bigger than our problems, situations, and our concerns.
Amy, your words ring true. “There are even times I’ve caught myself not even imagining Him doing anything in a situation.” So easy to do.
Oh Debbie we serve a HUGE God Who can do anything we need and Who loves us and knows best. Your study is perfect for this subject!!
Amen!! Thank you, Ann.
Debbie, you bring out such great points that we need to hear over and over. We forget that God gives us every shred of faith we possess. I love the contrasts you draw when talking about distractions from faith. Thank you!
Thank you, Annie.
My God is bigger than any problem but sometimes I try to make my problems bigger. So instead of needing a bigger God, I need a bigger faith. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Debbie.
Thanks for adding yours, Yvonne.
I’m thankful that our God is bigger than any of our problems. It’s easy to lose sight of that when we’re caught in the middle of a big problem. But even then, God is with us!
It is easy to let our problems block our view of Him. But as you said, He is still with us!