There were more takeaways from that Pirate game that I wrote about in my last post, so I thought it deserved a Part II. If you recall, the gist of that post was that even though I had some serious doubts about their ability to overcome a 3-run deficit (twice), I still possessed enough faith to stay tuned. In Part II, I’d like to focus on my lack of faith instead for that seems to be a stumbling block for me at times. Can you relate?
To be honest, sometimes I struggle to demonstrate as much loyalty to God as I do the Pirates. Yet He, unlike the Bucs, has NEVER given me a reason to walk away. In essence, I’m turning my back on Him each time the “control freak” in me tries to do His job for Him, thinking I know best or that “I’ve got this!” It’s not easy for me to admit how desperately I need Him, but I surely do!
Lately, I’ve been beginning my quiet time by naming several attributes of God as well as some of the many roles He plays in my life. I say as many as pop into my head at the time as a way of praising Him for who He is. While I believe every one of those characteristics/roles accurately describes God, in the next breath I find myself confessing that I struggle to grasp that He is all that.
It seems I often sell God short by placing human limitations on Him because that’s what I know. That’s what I can see right here in front of my face.
Faith is described this way in Hebrews 11:1 —-
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
Ugh. It is I that comes up short every time I sell Him short. Perhaps you can relate to my struggle to be faithful to Him. If so, I have good news for us both—-
“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.”
2 Timothy 2:13 NLT
Even when we fall short, He will not. He is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do simply because—He. Is. God.
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”
Hebrews 10:23 NLT
One of the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness. I’m praying that the Spirit works in me and through me to display that fruit because I know I can’t do it on my own. After all, it’s not called Polly’s fruit! It’s His to bear and I’m certain nothing would delight Him more. I would be happy to include your name in that prayer if you have similar struggles. Just send me a message and I will get on it!