Tags
Christianity, faith, God, holy spirit, hope, Jesus, prayer, Religion, spirituality, Trust
Become what you believe. When I read these words in Matthew today the phrase struck a chord in me. This is all too often the way we live. We put the emphasis on the “become”, and we put all of our effort into the becoming.
Let’s face it we live in a world that is filled with self-help strategies. In books, on television and through social media we come across Spiritual Guides of every ilk who reinforce the message that we are in charge of our own destiny. We are assured that programs such as seeing and visualizing what we want will make it happen. We are told again and again that we can have or be anything that we want if we just work at it.
After I read this passage from Matthew I started wondering about my own life. How often have I tried by my own effort to become more? What about all that hard work to change? What about all that effort put into making my life what I wanted it to be?
Last night someone asked me what Biblical character I resonated with and my answer was Abraham. Always living in the hope and expectation of the promise. Always digging wells that others drank from. Always striving to make his life turn out according to the Promise of God. Then, most importantly of all, always being brought up short by God and reminded that life is lived by faith, not by our own effort.
I know that I get it wrong. I put my own effort into making what I believe work, instead of simply resting in the grace and truth of what I believe and trusting God to make it work.
So I went back to the words that Jesus said, and I pondered the real truth in those words, that it is God who does the work for the becoming and that I am called to place my faith in him, and trust him in the working out of life.
This is what I read from Matthew chapter 9. The translation is The Message
As Jesus left the house, he was followed by two blind men crying out, “Mercy, Son of David! Mercy on us!” When Jesus got home, the blind men went in with him. Jesus said to them, “Do you really believe I can do this?” They said, “Why, yes, Master!” He touched their eyes and said, “Become what you believe.” 27-30
What I have been pondering all morning is the need for us to be believing, rather than to be working on becoming. More importantly I have been realizing that what we believe is an important part of this process. I could believe that I can be the next famous rock star or even a toadstool, and no matter how much effort I put into believing, it just isn’t going to happen. It is important that our believing is in line with God’s will and then God will make the becoming possible.
That then leaves the questions, “Where do I want to place my faith?” “What is my faith dependant upon?”
Where: in God
What: God’s word
So what have I chosen to believe today?
I have chosen to believe that I am a child of God and beloved in his kingdom.
I have chosen to believe that God has called me forth for a purpose and will fulfill that purpose in me.
So now with simple trust, hope and expectation I give myself over to God and allow him to bring forth what I have and will become in him. Like Abraham I will learn to quit striving in my own effort and give over my heart, my hope, my life to God and trust that God will make all things possible in his time—whatever, whenever.
This is my prayer:
BECOMING
Before you, O God, I am humbled.
Everything I have tried has not worked.
Create in me a new heart, filled with trust and hope.
Order and reorder my thoughts that you word lives in me.
Make me open to hear the speaking of your Spirit.
Instil in me and new desire for faithfulness.
Nurture within me the gifts of the Spirit that they will fill my very being.
Grace me as your child that I may become all that you desire me to be. Amen
