How Has Your Faith Been Deepened?

It’s been said that God works in mysterious ways, and I certainly believe this. My devotional this morning took me back to a blog post I recently wrote about keeping your eyes on Jesus. The writer of the devotional said that he believed:

…that experience deepened Peter’s faith and made him willing to take great risks later in his life and ministry-long after Jesus ascended into heaven. The same could be true for each of us. What we see as a risk from our perspective could be the very situation God uses to strengthen our faith. What we think holds the potential for loss or damage, God may very well be using to strengthen our characters. What we view as taking a chance, very possibly could be what God will use to carry us one giant step closer to fulfilling our purpose and reaching our full potential.

-Charles Stanley, taken from Passion & Purpose, YouVersion Bible app

I tend to fixate on how God has caused me to walk a path I would have never imagined for myself. When I was younger, high school and college age – even into my first decade of teaching, my life revolved around sports. I lived and breathed basketball and softball. That’s where I spent my time and my efforts, honing my skills. I wasn’t outstanding, but for my little corner of the world, I held my own. I went to church and I prayed, sometimes. I considered myself a Christian and felt like I was living my life in a good way.

Looking back on my life, I believe this was a time that God used to show me things I would not otherwise experience, good and bad. But, my relationship with Jesus didn’t go very deep.

At a point about 15 years ago, I bought my first guitar on a whim. Something I would like to do in my spare time, but I didn’t have the time with working fulltime, 2 children, and a husband to care for. The time was now. So, my adventure into music began. I drifted in and out of my love/hate relationship with the guitar. It’s not easy to learn to play guitar. It takes practice and a willingness to commit time to it, dedication. Not to mention dealing with sore fingers! Building callouses is the downfall of many a musician.

At some point just a few years ago, music took on new meaning in my life! It became a way for me to serve the church and to grow in my faith. It has been the most rewarding journey I’ve found myself on and the best part of it is the depth of my relationship with Jesus Christ. I don’t say this to brag. I’m still a sinner that needs my Savior. I say this to say that you never know when God is going to use something in your life to lead you where he wants you to go.

It takes a leap of faith to step into unknown territory, but in your prayer time, consult God on the path he wants you to take. He will cause things to happen that will lead you in the direction he has planned for you. It won’t always be easy. In fact, there will be times that you doubt yourself and wonder why you thought you could do this. Hopefully it’s not when you’re in front of a congregation leading worship, but it happens. And God will help you through it. You’ll make mistakes and you may falter at times. But that’s okay, it’s all part of learning to put your faith in the Father.

Whatever God has put on your heart, I hope you’ll prayerfully consider the challenge with God.

He will do amazing things with your trust in him! Let God help you grow.

My challenge is to step out in faith on the journey before you. But, you’ve got to take the first step!

In Faith,

Pam