Stepping Out By Faith... Through God

So God brought me through one semester of Bible college...
and He has led me to another one.

This morning, I read in Matthew 6...
"And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field,
how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you,
That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."


I wondered what it could have meant that Solomon,
a man so rich & powerful, wasn't to be compared to a lily!?
Throughout the day of pondering, the Lord finally opened my eyes.

Solomon had it all.
He never had to worry about food, finances, and friends...
He never needed to rely on God to provide everything for Him.
His life was comfortable, secure, and enjoyable.

A small lily of the field is so helpless, unable to do anything.
It's only source of life and existence is from God.
It relies totally on Him for the sunshine, rain, and growth.
...How does this relate to me, as a Christian?...

I have to say, it's pretty scary, since I had no money to put on my first payment,
my job only covers 1/2 my bill, and my classes have a lot of intense projects.

But looking back, when I was so worried about His provision,
I see how He actually got me through.
So many times I doubted Him, wondered if He even heard my prayers or cared,
and even considered giving up and choosing an easier path of a secular career.

But after tears, prayers, and continually handing it over to the Lord
(I say "continually", since I was always taking it back into my own hands),
He finally showed Himself and provided the exact amount of money I needed.
It was such a mircale, and it taught me so many lessons of faith.

Even now, looking back and seeing His provision, I'm ashamed
to say that I still have a hard time trusting Him to provide for me.
I've always been the type of person to plan out everything,
be sure to see my future clearly ahead of me,
and make desicions based on logical analyzing.

The Christian walk isn't all logic-following.
(Our brains aren't to be compared to God's way of thinking, anyway!)
If I can see the steps right in front of me, where does faith come in?

God brings us to places where we are helpless, cannot see the next step,
and are empty-handed. Why? Why does He do this to His children?

Because it's when we finally let go of providing and planning for oursleves,
that we become as dependent children of a loving Father.
We have an opportunity to grow closer to Him,
and to watch how He will provide.

Isn't that amazing? That God cares to provide for me?
If I always did things for myself, I would miss out on seeing God's miracles.

He used that time last semester, and even now as I'm still scared,
to teach me to let go of my pride, and fully lean on Him.
He wants to use this time to nurture my relationship with Him!

God doesn't tell us to do something, then make it impossible to do!
He wants to do that 'impossible' through us.
Not ME through Him, but rahter HIM through me.

Then I realized... what an amazing privilage!
Why in the WORLD does God want to use someone as sinful as me?!
Yet, He does. And He WILL make a way!

I encourage you, Christian friend, DONT give up on God!
Don't be afraid to take that step of faith!
Yes, it's scary, confusing, and even hard.
Satan is going to throw things at you to discourage you.

But just remember in this upcoming year:
When God is calling you to do something, He WILL provide!


 "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Matthew 6:30-33