Repost – “What’s Your Symbol of Faith?”
As Believers, we are not exempt from the sorrows of this world. Some have endured the loss of a child while others have struggled with the death of a spouse. There are those who have lived through the shame of a divorce, while others have been ridiculed by their our own families for never having been married in the first place. A number of us have battled demonic assaults on our bodies, whereas others have suffered attacks on our minds. Many have been terrorized or taken advantage of by their own children or stepchildren. Then there are those who have lived through a traumatic hurt caused by a cruel love one.
No matter which line you could stand in among these scenarios, Beloved, all of us will encounter some type of trial. The question is not when, but how? Let me back up here for a minute. You see, I am convinced as followers of Jesus Christ, each of us responds to life’s challenges using one of two symbols; the question (?) or exclamation (!) mark. Stay with me now; here comes my point.
As you can imagine, those who fall under the question mark…do what? You got it; they question everything and I do mean…everything! Instead of allowing our Holy Creator to have His way, they demand to know why this and why that. They are not content to live by faith and often operate under a Spirit of Entitlement. And, when the Almighty ignores their demands for Him to dance to their tune, they use this as an excuse to question His existence. Sadly, these folks are never satisfied with the miracles or blessings of God. Gratefulness is simply a foreign word in the dictionary. They, instead, simply demand more and more proof of His faithfulness…over and over again.
For those of us striving to live by the exclamation mark, our story is quite different. We are always amazed at the greatness of our God! No blessing is too big and none too small. Sure, we struggle with bills, joblessness, wayward children, unstable co-workers, and worrisome family members. The difference with this group though is that we don’t allow these things to question God’s Plan for our lives. We know beyond a shadow of doubt that He is still on The Throne. As a result, we won’t allow the cares of this world to consume us. And, if we do, you can best believe, it’s not for long! We pray instead of fight, worship instead of worry, and praise instead of plot. All in all, we live by an exclamation of faith best summarized in 2 Samuel 22:32-33 NIV which says, “For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.”
So, there you have it, my Sweet Sister or Brother. What is your symbol of faith? Will it be the question mark (?), which will constantly cause you to doubt The Lord’s existence and His capabilities? Or, will you live by the peace of the exclamation mark (!)? In other words, always being excited about the faithfulness of God and His ability to turn the impossible into the very possible for your life!
