Build Unnerving Faith

"Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord." James 1:3-7

 “A Christian on fire for his faith will run into hell with a squirt gun.”  --Senior Pastor Steve Mason 

James 1:3-7 is such a power piece of the Bible to me.   It speaks directly about the kind of faith God asks from us.  But if you are like me, I worry or overthink or ponder endlessly about something I should let go of, or someone I should have forgiven or something I didn’t do that I could have.  Regardless of what it is I often do not turn to God right away.  In fact, it is typically after I’ve exhausted myself mentally or have changed my mood affecting those around me that I FINALLY ask GOD to please help me. 

That was until I had a situation where I made the decision to give it to God first!  This time I wouldn’t allow the creator to sit in the on-deck circle while I took an endless amount of swings like I normally do (to use a baseball analogy).  I would give him my most stressful situation,  one that had been keeping me up at night, stealing my joy and dissolving my happiness.  I would be FAITHFUL knowing God would help me.  I’m not going to lie; it was a little scary as I had never truly tried this.  I would ask God for help not really expecting it.  

James 1:6 says, "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."  What I discovered was two-fold: God would do more for me than I could ever do for myself when I completely submitted to Him.  And the stronger my faith, the more His blessings would be poured upon me. 

I now live in complete faith.  I know God is looking out for me, loves me and is FAITHFUL to me.   My faith in Him allows me to see things in a way I never could have before.  It has helped me grow as a man, a son, a father and a follower of Jesus and Oasis church.  It has changed my life!

Side note: every time I would think faith my hands would type Father.

Ben Linares