BELIEVING FOR BREAKTHROUGH

By Brenda J. Davis former editor of SpiritLed Woman magazine.

Valerie Lowe, who usually writes this column, asked me if I'd pinch-hit for her today. Her presence is greatly needed elsewhere today, as she attends to the needs of her daughter, Faith, who is recovering from surgery. If you've read this blog before, surely you know that Valerie and Faith are completely devoted to each other, and that they enjoy an amazing bond as not only mother and daughter, but also sisters in Christ. I’m certain they would want to know that you’re praying for them, so be sure to send them your prayers and words of encouragement.

Valerie will be back at her post here very soon, but in the meantime, I’m happy to help out. It has only been a few short months since my transfer to another arena of service here in the company. I’ll be honest with you; every change has its challenges. Even after being with this company for 11 years, I’m facing exciting new tasks every day that require new levels of grace and trust. I’ve discovered, much to my utter astonishment, that with God’s power, even at 56, you can still learn a few things. Mostly, you can learn to trust God with things you never had to trust Him with before.

Of course, it is scary sometimes; but so is living. It has become very clear to us that we are facing a number of situations we’ve never seen before, and we have to learn to believe God all over again.

Most of us find great comfort in the familiar. We don’t necessarily want to be bored, but mostly we want to exercise some control over the way we experience new things. We like surprises; we’d just like to manage them. Lately, that’s getting harder to do.

A few weeks ago, my sister, Bridgett, and I took a trip in her new car. I did most of the driving, then offered to fill up her tank before she drove home. What was I thinking? At $60, the machine still hadn’t stopped! My car is not as large as hers, so I had no frame of reference for a $60 tank of gasoline, and I’d never had to exercise that kind of faith for such a thing before.

Every day there are so many things that can tempt us to worry. But before we get too overwhelmed with all the discomforts of this modern life, let’s step back and remember the faithfulness of our unchanging God. It’s so easy to be drawn into the fretting and worrying that fills the atmosphere everywhere we go nowadays, but even in the worst of times, God has remembered His people and delivered them.

Sometimes things seem to spin out of control. This is never the reality for the believer. In the Scriptures, even under the worst conditions, things were never out of God’s control.

In the Old Testament, we can read about the horrors of judgment and loss that God’s people experienced due to their rebellion and disobedience. Jeremiah, who was called “the weeping prophet,” talked about the tremendous struggles the people endured, but in spite of these things he could write: “This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him’” (Lam. 3:21-24, NIV).

The Lord is so able to encourage and strengthen us, if we acknowledge Him, remind ourselves of His promises. You may have tried everything, and feel you’re at the end of all you know to do. But all you know is not all there is to know. At the end of our finite knowledge, there is the infinite wisdom and knowledge of God.

Call to mind God’s unfailing love, His mercy and the truth of His new mercies that accompany every day’s tasks. Remember His faithfulness to His promises and simply believe He will break through for you.

Call to mind the things you know to be true, and stand. You and I can stand in every season of change because He will empower us. Breakthrough is real. Breakthrough will come for those who persevere and continue to hope in the Lord. This is my testimony today, my statement of faith. Now, what do you believe?