“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 KJV
Do you remember as a child when you and a friend rushed to the playground to be the first ones on the teeter totter when the recess bell rang? My friends and I did this on countless occasions. We were thrilled when we got there first, because we had anticipated the excitement of the teeter totter experience! First to be catapulted into the air and then to descend to the ground, trying to make the other person launch from their seat! Oh, but to be on the receiving end when you made contact with the seat again, was not such a pleasurable experience, because it could hurt really badly! But that reality never stopped us from climbing onto the teeter totter day after day.
Many times in my life I have felt like I was on a teeter totter of faith. For example: Throughout my life during times of trial, temptation, decision, vision, dreams, etc. I have stood in faith, anticipating a positive outcome for whatever situation I found myself in. When the progression of the situation was pointing in a favorable direction, I felt empowered by the faith inside of me, to keep believing for a positive outcome. Just like the anticipation of the teeter totter experience as a child! But when the progression was pointing in a non-favorable direction, I would begin to be empowered by fear, and would anticipate a negative outcome. Just like the fearful anticipation of making contact with the teeter totter seat upon descent!
But for years I never understood what was happening. I just accepted that the opposite of faith was fear and I had no control over it. Then one day when reading a motivational book the author countered my belief. He said we all have the same measure of faith but some people direct it positively which produces hope, and others direct it negatively, which produces fear. It sparked an interest in me to seek wisdom from the Bible and through prayer, in regards to his words. As I opened up the Bible and read story after story of Jesus’ encounters with people, God began to reveal that I had a false belief about faith, and its operation in my life!
I had been conditioned through Christian teachings, music, and conversations, to believe faith was an unstable substance that was given in certain measures, depending on circumstance. But when I studied Paul’s words in Romans 12:3b, “according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith” I realized my belief was false! Faith is not unstable, but for years in reading translations that said “a measure”, or “according to the degree”, or “by the amount of faith”, I had formed a false belief about faith. The truth is that “the measure of faith” God has given each of us, doesn’t grow or shrink, it just gets redirected!
God is not a respecter of persons and He doesn’t choose to give some more faith and others less faith. He has given each of us “the measure of faith”. But He has also given us a free will to direct that faith! We can direct it towards the positive or the negative! The positive being hopeful expectation for what He has promised! The negative being the fear that He will not act on what He has promised! Therefore, we vacillate in where we direct “the measure of faith” God has given to us, which determines the outcome of our mindset and belief!
I love to read Hebrews 11 and the account of the heroes of faith, who directed their measure of faith towards the hopeful expectation of God’s promises! And who received the promises because they stood strong in their faith! It reminds me that the same measure of faith given to Moses, Abraham, Enoch, Noah, Sarah, and countless others, was also given to me. But I can only be a partaker of the blessings from the promises God has for me, when I stand strong in my faith! Not when I direct my faith towards a fearful expectation or a negative thought. I then love to read Hebrews 12 because it is the instruction manual for how to accomplish this mission of directing my faith! God hasn’t left any detail out of His Word, but we are responsible to ask for it and study it.
I want to encourage you to spend time with God in the Word and in prayer, asking Him to grant you wisdom and understanding; in regards to “the measure of faith” He has given you. Ask Him if you have been on the teeter totter of faith in your life the same way I was. I also want to encourage you to examine if you have been directing your faith in hopeful expectation or in fear. God is faithful! He will reveal the details in regards to faith that you need to understand, in order to become a hero of the faith like those recorded in Hebrews 11. Be willing to let go of preconceived notions about faith, and to allow the Holy Spirit to teach you all things in regards to faith! If you will do this you will be blessed beyond measure!
Prayer: I believe by faith that You have given me the same measure of faith, as the heroes of the faith, I read about in Your Word! Today I choose to allow Your Spirit to open the eyes of my understanding, so I can receive Your truth over my false, negative, or limiting beliefs, about faith! I praise You for giving me the Holy Spirit who leads me into all truth and I give You permission to speak to me. I will stand strong in my faith as I learn from You! Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment