More often than not my Sunday mornings are spent at church singing in the youth praise team, attending Sunday School, and sitting in the wooden pews listening to the pastor preach. Last Sunday was different, though. Last Sunday, I was so close to not going to church at all because I had so much school work to do, but then a friend called asking me if I wanted to visit a church in a neighboring town. I agreed, and I'm not quite sure why. I still had the same amount of school work to do, but something in me told me I needed to go. We drove to the church and sat in one of the back pews waiting for the sermon to begin.
People came and shook our hands, greeting us.The worship music began and we sang a few hymns that I had never heard before. Then the pastor came up to begin preaching. I looked in the church program to see what the sermon would be about, Faith. In my almost two years since becoming a Christian, I had heard numerous sermons about Faith. I figured that this one would be no different.
But that was far from the truth. This particular sermon started a fire in my heart. The preacher began talking about what Faith is not.
Faith is not a warm fuzzy feeling.
Faith is not a feeling at all.
Faith is not simply believing in God.
Faith is an action.
Faith is doing what God wants you to do even if it looks like a bad idea.
He compared it to jumping out of a plane without a parachute, and someone jumping out behind you with a parachute. The plan was that they would catch up to you and you would both get down safely. Now, who in their right mind would trust someone enough to do that? I can't say that there is anyone I would put that much faith in. That is except God. But even then, I don't always have that much faith in Him. As much as I would like to say and believe that I would have that amount of faith in Him, I have had my doubts just like anyone else. That's when the preacher brought up 2 Corinthians 5:7, "For we walk by faith, not by sight. " We have to believe that He is right behind, ready to save us. Ready to bring us down safely to the ground.
We have to be willing to have so much faith that if it falls through, we would be in trouble if we didn't have God.
That is the exact thing that I had to keep telling myself this past week for my promposal. I was so worried that the guy I was asking to prom, would say no and that I would be rejected. Like many, rejection and vulnerability are two things that I fear most, and here I am putting myself into these exact two possibilities. But I told myself that I had to step out in my faith. God doesn't call us to be comfortable, He calls us to obey Him. So I did. I walked straight out of the door of my comfort zone, and asked him to prom with a box of hot wings with a note attached saying, "I'm not really sure how to say this so I'm just going to wing it..." then I handed him a basketball with the words, "Let's have a ball at prom" painted on it.
One of my best friends was secretly videotaping the entire thing. I was sick to my stomach because I was so nervous. I literally almost walked out. What if he said no? Well, at least I would have it on video I guess.. but he didn't say no. He said yes. If I wouldn't have stepped out in the faith of God's plan for me, I wouldn't be going to prom with him. Faith is doing what God wants you to do even if it looks like a bad idea. Now, I didn't think asking him to prom was a bad idea, but it was definitely a terrifying one. I still took that leap of faith and I encourage you to do the same in your life. Do whatever it is that God is calling you to do. As Psalm 128:1 states, "Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in obedience to him." God blesses the obedient. Actions speak louder than words.
