2 Corinthians 5 : 7 NKJV
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
“For a while, we are fully aware of God’s concern for us. But then, when God begins to use us in His work, we begin to take on a pitiful look and talk only of our trials and difficulties. All the while God is trying to make us do our work as hidden people who are not in the spotlight. None of us would be hidden spiritually of we could help it. Can we do our work when it seems that God has sealed up heaven? Some of us always want to be brightly illuminated saints with golden halos and with the continual glow of inspiration, and to have other saints of God dealing with us all the time. A self-assured saint is of no value to God. He is abnormal, unfit for daily life, and completely unlike God. We are here, not as immature angels, but as men and women, to do the work of this world. And we are to do it with an infinitely greater power to withstand the struggle because we have been born from above.
If we continually try to bring back those exceptional moments of inspiration, it is a sign that it is not God we want. We are becoming obsessed with the moments when God did come and speak with us, and we are insisting that He do it again. But what God wants us to do is to “walk by faith.” How many of us have set ourselves aside as if to say, “I cannot do anything else until God appears to me”? He will never do it. We will have to get up on our own, without any inspiration and without any sudden touch from God. Then comes our surprise and we find ourselves exclaiming, “Why, He was there all the time and I never knew it!” Never live for those exceptional moments—they are surprises. God will give us His touches of inspiration only when He sees that we are not in danger of being led away by them. We must never consider our moments of inspiration as the standard way of life—our work is our standard.”
Oswald Chambers
My Utmost for His Highest
A person having a calm, quiet, humble, and submitted spirit is what God is really looking for from among His chosen people, to do his assigned work here on earth. Such character traits and attributes are rare indeed within the population of the saints. Being a Christian is not necessarily an easy thing to be or do. If you happen to be a Christian and are or have been placed in a position of leadership then the job gets even more difficult. Self-control and submission are the two key traits that must govern the activities of every believer.
God wants solid committed souls to do his work here on the earth so that all those unsaved people can see what it really is and what it really means to love and serve the Lord by loving and serving people. Your example is always showing. People who know you are supposed to be a “leader” or a “good Christian” are always watching you and your personal conduct. They are scrutinizing you and your activities just to see if you really believe what you say you believe, and if you really live your life in accordance with your confessed beliefs. They, in effect, are looking for a character flaw in you or a breach of conduct that would negate your claims of Christianity. In short, they are looking carefully to see if you are a Hypocrite! All too often their search reveals exactly what they are looking for. No one likes, cares for, or even wants to be around people who say one thing and then do another completely opposite thing. Their talk (words) goes in one direction but their walk (actions) goes in the opposite direction. You simply cannot do that and expect any thinking person to follow your lead.
Faith is an internal proposition…..Emotion is mostly an external proposition.
Faith is Belief + Trust + Obedience. Emotion is the feeling we experience from all of our five senses.
Faith is unseen….Emotion is felt and seen.
Faith is solid, unbending, always constant, and present. You can always trust your faith. Emotions can trick and deceive you. They can come and go with regularity. You cannot always trust your emotions.
God will always reward an increase in your personal faith. He delights in seeing His people grow in knowledge and wisdom. Faith you will remember is an action word.
Consequently faith will always be supported by works…which is that special something that is caused or generated by the application of your faith…Your belief in action, will produce some observable results.
Now listen, man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. You can only really exercise your faith after you have come to the end of your own abilities. As long as you are performing under your own abilities and talents, you are not operating in faith. Faith only can take over once you have used up all of your own ability. Once you begin operating in your “faith mode” everything you are doing is God’s power operating through you. That will be the litmus test as to whether or not you are really living, working, and/or performing in the mode of faith. Are you living and working under your own talent and ability, or are you living and working under God’s Power and Control.
Faith is a spiritual realm activity. Permit me to use a scenario to describe what I am trying to explain to you…You recognize a job must be done,…a task needs to be accomplished,…a project requires something more to be completed,…a new or improved personal relationship demands more time and involvement. Whatever the case may be, you realize that you personally have done everything that you know how to do. You have used up all of your available resources, talents, and abilities with which to remedy the existing situation. You indeed are at the end of your line to do anything more to solve the dilemma. Ahhh…Haaa, man’s extremity is God’s opportunity. You pause your actions,…you ponder and rethink the work done to date….You think and you pray for additional spiritual guidance to help you complete the project. Then sure enough inspiration comes flowing into your thought processes. A fresh new idea flashes into your mind that will allow you to finish the project correctly and safely. It might just work to finish the job! Now comes in the fear and doubt….Now comes in the whispers of Satan reminding you of your faults, frailties, shortcomings, and weaknesses….Oh but you don’t have sufficient expertise to do it…you don’t have the credentials to attempt it…you don’t have this talent, or you don’t have that ability…you name it,…one excuse is as good as another whenever you are making them.
You check out your new idea with other trusted associates. Everything checks out and appears to be a viable solution to the problem.
Now you decide to give it a go,…you decide that you, even with all of your inabilities and weaknesses, you are going to press on and you are going to try this new idea to solve the situation. Good for you…..You have now given God a chance to do a very good work through you!
Your emotions have not controlled the decision. You brain, your thoughts, your logic has controlled it, with the help of God. And you have properly and completely arrived at your conclusion to go beyond your known ability, and off into the realm of faith!
You begin to implement the new idea to finish the work…you begin slowly…you take things one step at a time…you continually seek guidance from outside and inside counselors. Things begin to take shape…The Idea Is Working! You complete the job. The project is a success. And you receive the accolades, recognition, and awards. Everything is so much more and so much better than you ever thought or imagined!
How can that be? How could everything come together so successfully and profitably? I will tell you how…….Because God did it, not you!!!
Give God the honor, the glory, the recognition and the praise…for the completed project! His inspiration into your mind and your willingness to be obedient to His leading, as well as your committed effort to follow through,…is what brought about a successful completion.
You were willing to walk by faith and not by sight. In so doing you increased your level of faith,…and ….just as promised, God rewarded that increase in your faith.
What worked in this scenario,…will work just the same for you in your life. You are the trigger. You are the catalyst. You must be the initiator.
God will give you His touches of inspiration only when He sees that you are not in danger of being led away by them.
Always remember what God has told us in His Word… “All things are possible to he who believes.”
God’s Greatest Blessings to All of You………………