“You didn’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” -Matthew 17:20

Ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives; whoever seeks, finds; and the door will be opened to him who knocks. -Matthew 7:7-8

In like manner, I say to you: if on earth two of you are united in asking for anything, it will be granted to you by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered in my Name, I am there among them. -Matthew 18:19-20

Whatever you ask for in prayer full of faith, you will receive. -Matthew 21:22

Last Sunday, after church, I was thinking about the sermon, and God convicted me of something.

I don’t remember every detail of the sermon (sorry, Bro. Chad). :) But, I remember that a large part of it was on how God has the power to answer any prayer. He can still work miracles and solve any of our problems. At the end of the sermon, our preacher said something like… “So I know that some of you are thinking well, if God can answer any prayer, why hasn’t he answered mine?” Which was interesting, because at that moment that was exactly what was going through my mind. My prayers for healing for Nate are desperate, and I know there are so many others praying for him. Surely I have faith bigger than a mustard seed…so what’s the deal? He then told us that the first answer is that he doesn’t know - we all just have to have enough faith to know that we are just not going to understand every single thing that happens to us, and some things we will just not know until we get to heaven and meet God.

But then he told us that two possible reasons were 1. Disobedience and 2. Unbelief.

When I first heard that, I dismissed the “unbelief” part. Because I most definitely believe in God. I believe wholeheartedly that He is so powerful and can do anything we can imagine and so much more.

But later, this thought came into my mind. Yes, I do believe that God has the power to “snap his fingers” and heal Nate. I believe he could do that and so much more. But, and here’s the catch…do I believe that God will answer my prayers?

Sometimes I think something along these lines… “God I believe in you. I know you can heal Nate. Please, please, heal him.” But in the back of my head, I’m thinking, “But I know you probably won’t.” I know that sounds terrible! But really…I think it’s my way of protecting myself. If I don’t get totally sold on the idea that God is going to heal Nate, then it won’t hurt as much if it doesn’t happen.

I have to remember…I’m not dealing with a normal human being. You know, there are probably people in your life who don’t always follow through on their promises or what they say they will do. So you build in some protection by not TRULY expecting them to. You hope they will, you plan for them too, but you don’t let go and totally depend on it happening. But folks, God is not like us. I don’t have to protect myself against “what-ifs” with him.

So, my prayer has been for God to search my heart and take away any speck of unbelief that He finds. I want to trust Him with abandon…I want to give everything in my life to Him.

So when it comes to belief, I have three questions. 1. Do you believe in God? Do you believe He sent his only Son to die for you on the cross to save you? This is the most important one…you have to get this in order before any of the rest of it can follow. 2. Do you believe God is capable of answering your prayers? I promise you, our God is able to do so much more than we can even wrap our heads around. And, 3. Do you believe He will? Have you trusted him with everything? Or are you holding back just a little, to protect yourself? Maybe asking Him and having faith, but working on your own contigency plan, in case He doesn’t come through?

Heavenly Father, I’m asking you to search my heart. Find any unbelief or distrust I have in you and take it away. Make my faith complete. I want to trust you with every last part of my life. Amen.

Love in Him,

Genie Alice