Things often change. Many, many times it's a change that we do not enjoy. We have this mindset that if a time is good then it shouldn't change because for a while it's something we can count on, it feels stable, there are lots of laughs, people are kind, and hope doesn't seem so destitute.
Then it does. Then it changes and life is miserable again, friends move on in life, the laughter isn't the noise filling up a room, and now it seems everything is balancing on a teeter totter. Well...this blog post isn't about how everything constantly changes and becomes terrible. This is about a change, one that is constantly getting more and more stable the longer life goes on.
There is something that I have learned and been changing with over the past few months. Much of my mature life in following Jesus I have had this concept that actions must be bold, what we do and say must be bold for the sake of the Gospel. This concept is correct, however I was missing something that is so elementary and I am amazed at my unbelief.
I believe in the power of prayer, I always have, I know that God works through our petitions. I have read in the Bible over and over the prayers of faithful men and women who cried out to God and he answered their prayers in miraculous ways, none of which can be explained away. I grew up knowing that prayer was our gateway to God only through the sacrifice of Jesus. However, I can't continue to pretend that for a lot of my life I felt completely sure that my prayers will be answered. I knew that God heard what I had to say, but many times I questioned my belief that my prayers would be answered.
But, change has happened in a most definite way, a way that I was not expecting. Because of where we work, we lift up prayers for dreams and visions of Jesus, and wouldn't you know it...they are HAPPENING. I have always believed that God can do these things, I suppose sometimes when I prayed for wonderful things to happen somewhere in my heart there was a hint of doubt. Now there is 0% doubt in my heart that God will listen and provide what needs to happen to those he is calling to himself.
Through praying for others God has answered a prayer I have had for my life, that he would rid any of the residue of unbelief from my being. This is a change that will not feel unstable, never downturn, always constant and faithful. Although it is his will not mine that I want to be done, so I have an understanding that sometimes what I pray may be answered in different ways other than I was expecting. I have this hope that does not doubt his power, that he can come in dreams and inspire, that he can heal.
He is amazing, truly, he is the very definition of amazing. How often we forget his power, his overwhelming love, and his heart for humanity. My unbelief is like a cancer growing smaller and smaller in my body because I've been given a beautiful dose of faith in a way that I can never discount.
So yes, actions and words must be done and said in love and boldness, but as I have been challenged and I challenge the reader; be bold in your prayers, believe in nothing less than what the awesome power of God will do to answer those prayers spoken in complete faith. Be bold in words, actions, and prayer, don't give way to unbelief.
All to God.
