Have you ever noticed the huge chasm between your head (i.e logic) and your heart (often called to your spirit)? When the two work together, it’s a beautiful land of lollipops and Laffy Taffy. But when they are at odds; the struggle can be exasperating for the spirit and the mind. There is so much power of faith in God, but when you “overthink” things, faith doesn’t work. The process is compromised.
The widow and the absolutely illogical power of faith in God
Remember the impoverished widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:8-16? Down to her very last bit of food, Elijah told her to prepare him food to eat (even before she and her starving son ate). Imagine that. Most moms would have told the prophet what’s what. However, she didn’t. Totally opposite of conventional wisdom, she obeyed him.
Long story short, God provided for her and He continued to provide in a mind-boggling way.
That’s the power of faith in God. You do something totally illogical and it triggers God to move on your behalf…often in an incredibly, unprecedented way!
Many of us already understand the power of faith in God
As we bring our offerings and tithes, God continually supplies our needs. There’s no outdoing Him in the giving department.
As irrational as it seems, you can do enormously more with 80% of your paycheck than you ever could with 100% of it!
“Try Him” as He said in Malachi 3:10.
It still can be hard to do something like give away some of your weekly salary when you’re already struggling financially. I get it. Your brain is like “I need this money” and your spirit is like “Obey God, He will supply.” Who do you listen to?
I praise God for Pastor George Westlake, Jr. at Sheffield Family Life Center for teaching us to walk in the Spirit and not by the logic of the flesh.
My personal example: I’m living proof of the power of faith in God
A divorced mom from the urban core, I raised my son in one of the most expensive counties in the state, kept him in private schools his entire life while working and later earning a degree (of which I didn’t have to pay for).
My life was not logical at all! It didn’t make sense that I worked a job where all my colleagues had advanced education credentials and lots more experience. It was God’s favor that made me successful. I trusted Him because I knew the power of faith in God! Heck, my life was living proof of it!
Surely, God remained faithful. I don’t consider myself lucky or fortunate, I consider God to be AMAZINGLY reliable!
To be honest, it wasn’t always easy for me to write those tithe checks, but I did (sometimes through tears) and God never, ever, ever let me down.
Back to the “Logic” thing…
When mistreated, what is your first inclination?
If you’re anything like me, it’s not always to pray! But God’s way is [again] opposite to what comes naturally to our carnal minds.
For instance, He says love when you want to fight.
That means we have to forgive and bless that gossiper at church when we really want to yank the wig off her head.
Or even repay kindness to that troublemaker at work. (Lord, Lord! Help me with that!)
You may have to even bless and honor a mean and grouchy husband that pretends to be “Super Christian” at church, only to act like the devil [himself] when he gets home. (Sucka!)
It doesn’t make sense, I know. It doesn’t matter, you just have to have faith in the power of God to move and change lives.
Can’t stop testifyin’
Yeah, I am a good example – of some things, but not all. I mess up often.
I can say, however, when I stopped living in my own carnal-based logic, the heavens open.
Not only talking about material “stuff” but the blessings of peace, knowing Christ intimately and discovering amazing fellowship with Him all while watching Him meet my needs.
You know, God has done so much in my life as a result of living and trusting an amazing area of scripture – Galatians 5. I had faith in His word and in His power too.
That’s how I trusted Galatians 5 – especially verse 6. As a result, I was able to walk away from that ungodly guy I could never really, quite break up with.
I also gained victory over my anger, bitterness, and hatefulness. In His strength, I saw my responses and desires change and shift toward a new kind of “logic”; one that put the power of faith in God into day-to-day action in my life.
Praise God for His continued work on me, in me and around me – then and now.
Finally, Christian Sister…
Never forget He will empower you to live in victory and please Him in your choices. He will “trump” your logic and transform your mind.
Little by little, you’ll begin to see life clearly and understand His way is the best way…even if it “doesn’t make sense.”
Don’t worry about people who don’t understand your Godly choices.
You just keep on living God’s way.
Who cares who makes fun of you or judges you. It’s not your problem they don’t understand the power of faith in God.
I really don’t want you to be discouraged in your journey, beautiful Christian Woman. Stay the course and know God is with you on this journey. He’s in it for the long haul.
Don’t give up on yourself or your heavenly Father. Just continue to read your Bible so your “logic” structure changes to be more like Christ’s. You will eventually think like Him …if …and only IF…you spend time with Him.
“Many men have a religion which is their own work, there is nothing supernatural about it; human nature began it, human nature has carried it on, and as far they have any hope they trust that human nature will complete it.”
A Sermon (0231)Delivered on Sabbath Morning, January 2nd, 1859, by
the REV C H SPURGEON at the Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.
Below is the story of the widow and Elijah. I’ll bold the important parts relative to my blog post for you. 🙂
1 Kings 17:8-16 New International Version (NIV)
8 Then the word of the Lord came to him: 9 “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.
Malachi 3:10 New International Version (NIV)
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.
Galatians 5:16-18 New International Version (NIV)
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[a] you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
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