Unshakable faith comes from having your faith shaken.
That's the revelation that I got today during my quite time. I was praying and talking at the same time to God. Proclaiming that my faith in Him will get stronger and stronger. Not shaken.
But then I remembered that so many times my faith is shaken. Not only by word of the evil but also by my own flesh. Doubt and fear are the reasons for most of the time. It's been 3 years since I became Christian and honestly the journey is not easy. But today as I look back I can see that every time my faith was shaken, I became stronger. Because greater is He that is in me :)
Like I said, the journey is not easy. Like right now lots of people say "Wow Steph, you're going to Hawaii for bible school!! Good on you!". All the smiles and congratulations.. It's just an opening of the journey. I have less than 2 months and I need to see thousands of dollar coming. How bout that?
I don't have home church. I don't have family that is able to help me. I am living by faith (that's what we always say about the way we lived and it's true). Trusting God for monthly support so that I can pay all the bills. Well, there were times I cannot pay the bills on time :) But yeah I have faith in Him. I trust Him. It's easy to say right when it's about trusting for $50-$100 to come. How bout $10,000? Wow, there are so many zero in that amount!! Yes, how bout talk about it?! Do you have the faith... Steph?
It is easy to say YES. YES YES YES!! Hah! Easy right?! But how bout saying it and believing it? It is challenging. To be honest for the last 1 month my feeling has been up and down and up and down. I know that God said to me to do this school. And I know when He calls you to do something He will pay all the bills. But this heart of mine, this faith of mine so many times its not even as big as the mustard seed. I cried myself to sleep so many times just thinking about how am I gonna get all the money. Even though deep down inside of my heart I know God will provide.
And all of that leads me to a prayer "Father, give me more faith"
But then I hear this soft still voice saying "Stephanie, You don't need much faith to get me hear you prayers and to get your prayers answered."
The bible speaks of having "childlike faith" and "faith as a grain of mustard-seed" to move mountains. I do not need a quantity of faith, I simply need faith. Any amount of genuine faith that believes that God is able. God is good. God is faithful. He is mighty. He is enough.
God only requires faith as a small mustard seed to work mighty miracles. The black mustard plant in Israel grows to be over 10 feet high! It is amazing that such a small seed can grow into such a large plant. And I believe that my prayers, your prayers, our prayers will do the same thing. Praying is in itself, faith.
It takes faith to pray, but it takes a stronger faith to keep praying when your facing something in your life. I think the reason why so many of us quit praying is simply because they don't have faith. We don't believe God is going to answer our prayer. So many of us had faith to receive Jesus as the savior but not enough faith to trust God to take care of them.
And I want that kind of faith. Faith and trust that God will take care of me. A childlike faith. Faith in my Father.
Again, unshakable faith comes from having your faith shaken. If our faith is to grow, it must go through hardships, our own failures, and trials. Our faith will be put to the test, we need to learn to cherish those moments as Paul did (2 Cor 12:9-10).
I realized that my problem and everything that I am facing and need right now are a stepping-stone, a perfect opportunity for me to make God happy by continuing my faith in Him. God is still on His throne, I will learn to sing in the storm by having faith in God. The sun is always shining somewhere. And the Son is always shining in my heart.
And yes, that is what I got during my quite time. Wow, its pretty long :')
So again, unshakable faith comes from having your faith shaken!! If you ask for more faith, you are actually asking for more troubles and problems and trials to come your way because that is how God increases your faith.
And He is increasing my faith right now. My faith is shaken but it's unshakable! Because I know He will never fails me. And the greatest faith in the world is to simply take God at His promises.
And I believe in His promises. I will always set my eyes upon Jesus.
And I know that $10,000 that I need will come. All I need is a childlike faith. Faith and trust that my Father is able. My Father is taking care of me and my needs. My Father is the one who calls me into His business in this world. My Father is the Author of everything. And I am saved :)