I earnestly prayed, “Increase my faith,” and it seems in answer to my request, God ordered a stress test of trials and circumstance.
I had a Bible reading plan in Psalms, Proverbs, OT, and NT for each day’s reading. God spoke a similar message through each Book one day.
I was given exhortation from His Word in Proverbs, If you fail under pressure, your strength is too small. (1)
Then my reading in Jeremiah proved a similar message,
“If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?”(2)
“Is this encouragement? I wondered. It’s a if I could hear the stampede.
I turned to Proverbs 3 for some wisdom, My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loath His reproof, For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights . . .
My NT reading for the morning in Hebrews 12: 2-4 brought me instruction in my dilemma,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
“Let go of it all, and focus on Me!” God spoke so clear to me.
Eyes up!” was God’s exhortation.
Discipline is good. For my growth and renewed faith and strength, I must be taught through it.
I was reminded:
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (3)
“Eyes up!”
God’s Word speaks right to the heart.
“Let go of the garbage. Continue on your race unincumbered with all the loss and hurt. Let Me in . . . “
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. (4)
Who will join me today and start a new day with a new skip in our step because in the process of the walk with Him, He increases our faith!
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled. (5)
I can’t run this race without the Spirit of the Lord. I try on my own, but in my own strength, I’m worn down and fail.
With each new day, let’s run this race with lifted hands and strengthend knees, with a walk forward with increased faith and eyes up on the author and finisher of our faith,
Jesus!
(1) Proverbs 24:10
(2) Jeremiah 12:5
(3) Hebrews 12: 9-11
(4) Hebrews 12: 12,13
(5) Hebrews 12: 14,15