Gotta Have a Little Faith

With such a pure heart, she was young yet somewhat apprehensive as she inquired. “Mommy, if God is perfect and everything, then why does He let sad stuff happen?” I glanced back into her troubled eyes as she shared a quizzical grin. She prefaced this with the hope you don’t think I’m bad for asking this?

The innocence and shyness of this investigation are impressive as they arrived from her little lips. Mesmerized by this beautiful encounter and her yearning for wisdom with an ambition to discover who God is, I am in awe.

As we become older, we cover better. Afraid to challenge the perplexing questions, we may defend ourselves too much. The dread that someone will discover our insecurities prevails in curiosity. People might figure out we don’t know everything. But having answers may inhibit our desire for our Father. We may stop seeking when we believe we already know. I determined never to place God in a trunk, for when I do, and I have, as I am human, He surprises me every time with His Grace.

When dealing with this question, it’s a baby step to a marvelous pilgrimage to further add purity by acknowledging Christ in your life. Let’s call this a teaching moment. I told her, “First, that is an excellent question, and second, never doubt your desire to learn. I prefer for you to ask, always. I need for you to follow God as He is love, and He forgives our mistakes. Our Lord embraces us with great love, and He is there even when we’re foolish, unhappy, or acting out. He is just that magnificent, and He is ready for your searches. You’re showing an eagerness to receive Him, and that is what He desires because He sees you and loves you.”

To put your faith in God and believe in Him is just the first step to a fantastic journey. When we do, this Christ can live in our hearts, and there He remains forever. There is a misconception that God makes bad things happen. Perhaps sometimes, He allows it for our growth or to complete His plan. But He never wants terrible things to come to us. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11.”

He died for us; all we need to do is go to Him in prayer and ask for His forgiveness and then trust in His promises. “That God so loved the world He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish and have eternal life. John 3:16” Now this does not mean we will not meet challenges or trials. It does not mean we will never suffer or have tough times again. He said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.”

See, God has chosen us to be His instruments of peace and to shine a light for Him that is so bright and welcoming. He wants us to reach out to others. When you lose yourself, you can go to Him. He is right there with you every step of the way. We must work hard not to become bottom feeders and get by on scraps. We are doing our best to float to the top. He is not trying to be cheeky or preachy, just honest. We must feed upon His word and share it with all who come to Him.

God wants you on His team, no matter what. No matter how awkward you may play, no matter how much you mess up, no matter what you have done in the past. God wants you to be your coach, confidant, and best friend. God wants to be your everything. All you have to do is ask Him into your heart, ask Him to forgive you, and give you strength. We died with Christ and lived for Him.

Colossians 3: 12-14, Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you have a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

We, myself included, may not always do as the above passage states. Human nature and flesh bind us to imperfection. However, to know Him is to love Him, and we are so blessed with His perfect word. We have to remember to feed on the right stuff. Try not to judge one another, but we will. However, we may not know what He writes in someone’s heart. God needs all of us, and we will not all act or look the same; if we did, we would be a small group. God willing, we will grow closer to Him by His Grace. We will learn from Him. All we have to have is a little faith.
Peace in your stages