Faith and Confidence

Matthew 21:17-22

“I tell you,” replied Jesus, “if you have confidence, without ever a doubt, you will do not only what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you should say to this hill, ‘Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!’ It would be done.  And whatever you ask for in your prayers will, if you have faith, be granted to you.”  ~Matthew 21:21-22

If you have confidence. If you have faith. 

That’s hard though isn’t it?  To have complete and total confidence and faith.  I personally think I’m hardwired to doubt, to worry, to question.

That being said, many years ago, (some of you have heard this story before) the church we were attending were in the middle of their annual Giving Campaign.  It was called Extravagant Generosity. One the verses one week spoke to my husband and I deeply.  We had always been givers but not always confident enough to give the full 10% tithe.  This particular year was a tough one because my husband was retiring from the military and was still looking for a post-retirement job.  We just weren’t sure we could make that commitment to giving, but then we read a scripture in the devotions for the campaign that changed us.  It said to test God and see that God will pour out blessings beyond your wildest dreams.  So we made the commitment and everything turned out better than we hoped!

Fast forward to more recent times.  Just a few weeks ago.  Somehow, in moving to a new home and other family transitions, and one of the places we donate to changing hands and missions, we fell away from the 10% again.  Not on purpose, but it happened.  As I was budgeting again, I really noticed it and was trying to figure out how to get back to it again, and once again, I started feeling that uncertainty, that worry but there is so much need out there.  So, I remembered that old verse again, and I then read this one, and decided to just do it!  Have confidence!  Have faith!

And you know what?  I was able to not only make several donations where they are needed but to also make a large payment I needed to make without issue.  What we needed was there and then some, and there was plenty to share with others.

I don’t really think this verse is really about money, or giving but I felt like this story of playing our small part in sharing with others, in helping others, does show that having faith, that giving to others with confidence can make a difference, can move the hill.

We can make a difference, we can change our world and make it a better place.  

As I’m typing this, I keep thinking of different examples of this truth in Jesus’ teachings — the feeding of the multitude, the bleeding woman believing if she only touched the hem of Jesus’ clothes that she would be healed, the Centurion who believe that Jesus only needed to say a word and his servant would be healed, and then the lack of faith the disciples had to cast out the demons in the possessed boy and Jesus reminds us once again, to have faith and we can move mountains and the boy was healed.

All great reminders that we too can move mountains.  We just have to have confidence and faith.  Ask and you shall receive. 

May we live lives full of confidence and faith, knowing that with that confidence and faith we can ask and it will be granted.  

Until next time…♥️