Getting Dependency Right
I got to thinking about what it means to be dependent on God for our life. I am not dependent on God for anything unless I actually step out in faithful obedience. I could say, “I’m going to depend upon God to get me out of this slump and open my mouth to start talking to people and never be worried about what others think of me again.” I could honestly believe that, but that will never happen if I just sit here wait on a “stirring of the waters.” The lame people of Jesus’ time used to do that and wait for the waters to be stirred, with obviously nothing happening (John 5:3-9). However, when Jesus told the man to get up and walk, he was healed. We have all been “healed” and have been commanded by Jesus to get up and walk and do as he commanded us, but we seem to forget that or either doubt it. I think we are so wrapped up in ourselves that unless we see a visible sign, we just justify it away in our minds. What we need is faith in what he has told us. We can have all the will power and attempts at self motivation in the world, but that’s not dependence upon anyone but ourselves. When we exercise faith in what God has promised, we depend upon his grace to get us through whatever he’s telling us. If it’s get up and take our mat, even though I’ve been lame all my life, if Jesus commanded it, who am I to question it? I need to get up and watch God shower me with his grace and then I will have the power to do above and beyond what I never thought possible. All my attempts at doing what God has commanded will end up fruitless and I will eternally beat myself up for not doing it. But if I step out in faith and realize there is nothing in me that is able to do this great thing, he will abundantly bless me and empower me to do the thing he commanded. So, how do I get that faith?