According to Your Faith

Thursday, March 13, 2008

1. According to Your Faith

"If you can?" said Jesus. "Everything is possible for him who believes." Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"1

Earl Nightingale tells about a strength test in which people were asked to squeeze a dynamometer (a machine that tests the power of your grip) as hard as they could. After that first squeeze had been measured, they were put under hypnosis and told they were very strong. When asked to grip the machine again, their scores averaged forty percent better.

Their physical strength did not increase under hypnosis. But their ability to use that strength did. It wasn't the hypnosis that did it, but their belief about themselves.

When we are led to believe we are stronger, we react accordingly. There is a sense in which we all go through life "self-hypnotized" in that a great deal of what we do is determined by what others have told us—and what we have told ourselves—and believed!

What we need to do is listen to what God's Word, the Bible, says about us, believe it, and act accordingly. As the Apostle Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" [that is, things that are in harmony with God's will].2

If there is one thing I have learned over the years it's that God never calls any of us to do anything that he hasn't equipped us to do. And he calls all of us to be faithful servants in his work on earth, and to be faithful stewards of all that he has given to us: our time, talents, money, and our resources.

Suggested prayer, "Dear God, I come to you making myself available. Please use me to be a part of your plans and the work you are doing in the world today. Like the doubting father in today's Bible text, I do believe; help me to overcome any and all unbelief. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

1. Mark 9:23-24 (NIV).
2. Philippians 4:13 (NKJV).

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