The Reality of Faith

Sometimes I hear people say all I have to do is believe and my dreams will be fulfilled. Is that true? No amount of believing can make the impossible possible. In kindergarten, I learned that Earth was like a ball with China on the other side. Late in the evening, I shared with my friend what I now knew was possible: “If we dig straight down, we’ll  reach China on the other side.” “Let’s do it,” he said. We each grabbed a tablespoon from the kitchen drawer, found a soft spot in the lawn, and started digging. Our hands grew sore, and it was too dark to see very well. “I’ll get a flashlight,” my friend said, “so we can see how close we are.” We had dug a good six inches, but we obviously couldn’t get there before bedtime. So we quit. The impossible for us might be possible with God. I wasn’t going to reach China with tablespoons. A bulldozer would be better. We now have drilling rigs that can go down more than five miles, which leaves just 7,912 miles to go. If I want to get there, I need a better way. What we can’t do, God might do. “For those who believe, anything is possible” (Mark 9:23). What is possible with God doesn’t mean he will do what I want. Since God created Earth, he’s fully capable of drilling a hole through the center. Let’s say I want him to. Will he do it just because I believe he will? I like Matthew 21:22 from the King James translation because it sounds like I can control God. “All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” But no matter how hard I might believe and want him to act differently, God will still do what he wants. Faith is trusting God to do what he knows is right. We might need a better interpretation of Matthew 21:22 like this: Jesus said, “When faith connects your prayer with what God wants to do, you will see it happen.” My faith has changed from believing God will give me what I want to believing he will give me what he wants. And I’m thankful I can have it his way and not mine. If you remain in me and my words direct your life, whatever you ask will be done for you. — John 15:7