Couple key thoughts

Sometimes I feel too chill. That is too relaxed. Perhaps I have an intellectual faith. There are those survey questions out there that ask how you respond in difficult situations. My history has shown that I laugh a lot. I'll say things like "Wow! This is really bad! Can you believe this? Wonder how we are going to get out of this one."

And yet here I am, the world continues to roll despite my greatest crisis. You could say that this is the result of a good world view. Sure. It's just that my world view is based on an eternal view. I've said it before, that I believe our time here on earth is but a vapor on the waves. Here for a moment, then gone. I've also said that I believe the spiritual world to be more real than the physical world.

OK Where am I going? Well, the emphasis over the last week or so has been on Prayer. And one of the lessons of prayer is to not look at the problem, but the problem solver. 

Think about it. Remember as a kid, working on a math problem and having no clue what to do? No matter how long you stare at the numbers, nothing makes sense. However, when you turn to the teacher and ask for help, you can finally make progress. 

I find most of my problems are this way. I don't know the way forward in a relationship. I don't know the best way to resolve a conflict. I don't know the best way to prepare for a presentation. That's when I look up and ask God for help. And I trust that no matter what happens, He put the words in my mouth at the moment I needed to say them to make things happen.

The second thing that is important is to press on through. Just like above, I look at the problems, I seek help, and I dive in. I'll pull resources that I think can help. I'll motivate people I think need motivation. I'll use all the gifts that God has given me to attack the problem. I don't just sit there and say "Well everyone, I prayed. Give it a couple minutes and it will all work out."

The end result for me is feeling like "Whew! We made it through!" But what is weird is that people look back at me and say "Yeah - you did a great job!" And I have no idea what they are talking about. For me, it is easy then to put those prayers of thanks back up to God.

The Bible says that faith and works go hand in hand. Sometimes, God parts the waters. But sometimes we have to do our part. I'm sure that the story of David and Goliath would have been omitted from the Bible had God chosen to just give Goliath a heart attack. Instead, David had to go into battle and use the tools he had - which weren't much. He had to press into the problem, but surely God did the rest.

So, perhaps I am to casual with my faith. I do believe that God will work it out. That takes a heap of burden off of me.

1 Samuel 17:45-49

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.