Exercising Faith

Solomon wrote, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight" (Prov 3:5-6).  It seems pretty simple doesn't it?  Trust God, lean on him, yield to his power, let him take care of of our problem.  Let Go and let God.  How could it be any simpler?  And yet, we so often just can't quite do that.

We know we can't handle it.  We turn it over to God, who can deal with it.  Then we take it back, hold it close while we fret over our inability to take care of it.  Sound familiar?  Our faith muscles and trust stamina and not very developed because fail to exercise our faith and stretch the limits of our stamina.

How many of us have started an exercise program in order to reach certain physical health, strength and weight goals only to pull back and even drop out because it seemed to hard, was taking too long and you lacked trust in the plan or the trainer to produce the results.  So, instead of trusting in the plan or the process, we drop back, regroup and start fretting over our out of control weight and lack of overall good health.

We say things like, "I just can't do it.  I don't have the self-control."  Actually, you are exercising self-control  by pulling back and stooping to fret instead of stepping in faith.  It isn't self-control that you need, it is to release yourself to the control of a trainer or a plan that will bring about the results you desire but your lack of trust caused by your lack of exercising your faith keeps you controlled by your fears and doubts.

Listen to the words of the Psalmist and of the apostle Peter: "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you: (Ps 55:22); "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you" (1 Pet 5:7).   Did you note the word "cast"?  Casting requires actually letting go, releasing control of, imparting to someone else.  You cannot maintain a hands-on approach when you cast.

Did you notice what God's response is to your casting anxiety and  fear on him?  He sustains you and provides care for you.  God acts in your behalf, God sees to your needs, God takes control of the situation.  But the thing is, God doesn't wrench it from our hands, he takes what we place in his.  If we hang on to it, keeping our trust in self to control, God does not take control.  If we do not cast it into his hands, he will not take care of it.

Exercising faith requires that we place our trust in God and release control of our problem.  We cannot lay it before  the Lord and then wallow in it at the same time.  We either exercise our faith our we exercise our fear.  The one we exercise the most will develop the most muscle and stamina, and will ultimately control our lives.  Jus' Say'n.