Do You Really Believe?

Our small group is following or doing a video series study produced by Focus On The Family called, The Truth Project.  I am not fond of this format; however, I really enjoyed the first lesson and am looking forward to the next. The speaker/teacher, Dr. Del Tackett has an excellent style and is very engaging.  I was amazed at how often Jesus referenced and spoke of the truth.  I am looking forward to more.

This post is not about the video but about something I have been trying to relay as well as something I myself have been learning and experiencing.  The first video lesson ended with the question and challenge "Do you really believe in the reality that you believe?" Wow!  It brought back to mind something one of our pastors, Jodi Van Rhee, asked the congregation one Sunday morning a couple of years ago. (She is our worship leader and she and her husband Eric, our church's pastors, are great and special friends to our family.) She asked us after a song, if we truly believed.  She paused and then asked it again. She said that most of us feel as though we truly believe but often when our faith is tested through a trial the strength and conviction of our belief is revealed. The revelation is not always a satisfactory one. I confess that I have failed.  Often. Do you really believe?

Proverbs 3:5 (ESV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

This verse I have mentioned many times lately in my teaching, preaching, writing, mentoring, and counseling.  Why?  Because God is testing me in this.  Not just me but my wife, my family, my business.  As an advanced degreed scientist I have been trained to lean on my own understanding. As a man raised in an old-school European blue collar household in America, I was bred to not only lean on my own understanding but to act upon, perform, and behave based upon my own understanding. God has systematically removed these abilities.  I am physically disabled so I cannot hold a full time job.  Our business, which we have acknowledged belongs to him, has gone through some serious upheaval, we are struggling financially, etc.  My own understanding says that I am a failure.  My own understanding says to fear the temporal future (my eternity is safe).  God asks, "Do you trust me?"  I answer, "Yes Lord!"  He says, "We'll see."  More trials.  Increasing in difficulty and fear factors.  Again he asks, "Do you trust me?"  My answer, I am ashamed to say, does not come with such a firm conviction and affirmation.  Again, more trials.  This time, bringing me to the point of answering, "I have no choice now but to trust you." Some may read this and think wow, if that is true, then God is pretty pathetic and needy.  Please, do not hear that! As much as I dislike these trials, I asked God to help me become more like Christ.  Jesus Christ as a man, completely trusted his father.  I am not Jesus, so I need to be trained.  I am in training.  My born-again spirit wants to trust him with all my heart.  But my fallen flesh does not! (Rom 7 all over again)

So where am I going with this? I guess I am offering it as a challenge and exhortation.  God will discipline those he loves.  He will test you and he will ask "Do you really believe? Do you trust me with all your heart?"  Don't be too surprised at your answer.  Don't be depressed either!  Accept the training and ask yourself regularly, Do I really believe?  In Jodi Van Rhee's words: "Well, do you? Really?"

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 5, 2013 at 4:46 PM

    Well said Pete. I agree, and have come to find out I can never come to that place of fully relying on Him until I come to the place of being honest with where my faith is at. Thanks for writing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. -Pete KligmannMay 21, 2013 at 8:41 PM

    Thanks Ben!

    ReplyDelete

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