Thursday, January 2, 2020

OLW - Faith


It is Spiritual Journey Thursday for January, and we are writing about our One Little Word for the year 2020. Visit Margaret Simon's Reflections on the Teche to get the complete list of our little first Thursday of the month group and read about the words they've chosen.

I remember once thinking things like "How could someone not go to church if they had such a heavy burden?  That's what God and prayer are for."
And then it happened to me.

I picked the word "Faith" for me this year.
I was almost afraid to have this word...maybe I still am a little.There were times this past year that I felt like I was too far away from God.  That things were too heavy, and I was too burdened to have the strength to bring the burdens to Him.
What a ditz.

But here's the thing.  If you ask God for patience, he will give you trials to test your patience so you can get better at it.  How can you learn patience if there is nothing to be patient about?  The same with faith.  Did he give me more things to test my faith when I asked him to grow my faith?  I asked him to do that... and then I was given trials and worries to put in his hand and LEAVE there.  That was hard.  I kept taking them back.
I'm still afraid that I will take them back.

I have been working on - or letting God work on - me and my faith.  I am relearning my leap and relying on Him to catch me.  I contemplated changing my word when I realized I may have brought all this on myself by asking to grow in faith.  But I'm going to be brave and have faith that all that God has been doing is for my good.  I've seen some evidence already, and it makes me smile to see the worrisome things that have been turned around with nothing I've done on my own.
What a ditz.
So yes.  Faith is my word.  I'm going to embrace it... I'm not going to be afraid of it.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  Hebrews 11:1

Faith

Faith is knowing
what I can't see
is there or very
soon to be.
It's pushing worry
to the side,
a steadfast stance
no backward slide.
But everyone
has times of doubt
a season of
"What's this about?",
a time we wonder
what will be,
a time we wish
that we could see
what lies ahead,
to see the rest,
to understand how
we'll be blessed.
In all the chaos,
seasons bleak
we sometimes mutter
and faith is weak.
But by and by
when we attend
we see his work,
the woven end.
God always knew
his work was good,
and hoped we'd
trust him as we should.
Faith means we're
keeping step and walking;
praying, asking
ever talking
to the Lord through
smiles and tears,
awash in love,
assuaging fears,
though climbing up
another hill
to swallow yet
another pill.
But then when all
may seem its worst
The rains abate
and sun rays burst.
And even when you've
paid quite dearly
for quiet times
and very nearly
destroyed your faith
and walked away,
just stay the course,
have faith to pray.

by Donna JT Smith, 1/2/2020

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."  Hebrews 11:6

May your faith be gently tested, may you remain strong and steadfast in it.




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