The Power of Faith

READ --

- Mark 11:22-25

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DEVOTIONAL --

Something I've begun to realize lately is why we should serve God. We need to know our "why" so that when we become tired and weary and close to giving up, we can be renewed by this thought -- we are serving for God's kingdom. We are serving for God's glory and so that we can see His reign come.

But here's another "why" that struck me really hard. Why do we do campus ministry? Why are we sacrificing our reputation to share the gospel? Why are we daily dying to ourselves to selflessly love on people who seem to never change? Because we have faith. We have faith that God will move and change people despite the circumstances. I'm very much a people person, and I invest so much into people. But then I realized that I also have a tendency to try to "fix" people; I love to solve problems, and I love reconciliation, and so I do everything I can to help others be happy and live life well. It has come to a point where I pour and pour and pour into people, even when it means sacrificing my own happiness for their comfort. And I've been asking myself, "Why do I do this? Why do I try so hard to help people with their problems when there is no visible change? Everyone is telling me to just give up on them and let them go. Why can't I seem to let them go?" And I realized it's because I have faith that God will change them. I have faith that God's love truly is a transformative love -- I've seen it in my life and in others'.

And so this is why we do ministry. We have faith that God is working through us. We don't go out to evangelize solely when the conditions are right -- we don't go out only when it seems like the people are nice or we're in a nice area or the weather is nice. We can't afford sitting around and waiting for the "right time" -- we just go. We go despite negative conditions because we have faith that God will move regardless. If we're going out and evangelizing but deep, deep, deep, deep in our hearts, we don't expect people to be saved, they most likely will not be saved. If we truly and wholeheartedly believe though, that God will bring salvation to whomever we talk to, they will be saved. That is faith. That is believing and trusting that God's Will will be completed. We cannot keep praying for boldness and wisdom and for His Will to be done in our lives and then get up and try to do things in terms of our own will. Where is the surrender in that? Instead, let us work to be sensitive to His voice and do what He wants His way. Have faith that God will move. Don't be discouraged either. Whenever you are discouraged, praise God. Thank Him. SERIOUSLY. HAVE FAITH THAT GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING!

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REFLECT --

- Are you walking a life of faith? What doubts do you have about God?

- What holds you back from fully trusting in God?

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PRAY --

God, let there be an increase of faith in my life. Help me to trust and obey you, even when it's hard. No matter what season I am in right now and no matter how I feel, let your Will be done.