Hope Without Limits

I am in this place where I have a lot of opportunities in front of me.  It has me wondering how can all of this happen? 

The answer I’m hearing is  “it’s all about connection with Me”. 

That answer has me made me look hard at what is my faith.  Is my faith me digging deeper into my soul to pull on my own soul’s power to commit to “Yes.  God will get me through this somehow.  I am strong.  I can do this if God wants me to do this.”  In other words, a gut-it-out effort to believe.  Is that my faith?

Authentically, I must own that I have lived that way quite a bit in the past.  Is that wrong?  No.  Is that exhausting?  Yes. 

Hebrews 11:6-8 tells me without faith it is impossible to please God.  That would make knowing what faith is pretty important, don’t you think?  What if faith is not something we do, but rather something we are?  What might that be?  Connected. 

What if what truly pleases our Heavenly Father is staying constantly connected with Him?

What if “passing” the testing of our faith is that when faced with situations that challenge us; are beyond what we can figure out; exceed what we can conceive is possible, we choose to always turn TO Him TO CONNECT rather than turning to anything else.  Whether else is our own intestinal fortitude; choosing what can be seen, felt, touched; or, fits into our “box” of what we think we need and what would work.  (James 1:3, 12)

Why would that choice make Him happy? I’ll let the Apostle Paul answer that one …

17Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life, providing you with a secure foundation that grows and grows. 18-19Then, as your spiritual strength increases, you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences— the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement, beyond academic knowledge— this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God! 20Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you. – Ephesians 3 The Passion Translation

Need some examples of what is possible when faith is connection/relationship with our Heavenly Father … check out Noah, Abraham and Jesus.

If there is a part of you wondering, does this mean I have to turn off my brain?  Actually the opposite is true.  This connection provides access to an unlimited supply of wisdom that will stretch anyone’s capacities far beyond what they are now (James 1:5, 2 Corinthians 1:9-10).

Back to my original question – “how can all this happen”?  The answer boils down to: deeper and deeper connection out of which grows dependence and the ability to follow as He leads:  connect, depend, follow.  I’m going to try it out.  How about you?