A Drop of Faith, a Bucket of Courage.

How many times like me, have you asked the Lord to give you more faith? We seem to think that faith is the main ingredient of power. With more faith, we tend to think it should be easier to believe, easier to overcome temptations, easier to make big decisions in life, as well as a host of other things which would seem possible with more faith. This is the same assumption that the disciples made when they asked Jesus to increase their faith. Did he increase their faith? Did He give them more faith? See Luke 17:5-6. No, He told them that if they had a faith the size of a mustard seed they could move mountains. He wanted them to know the strength and power was not in the amount of faith they had but in their willingness to exercise the little they had. The power they longed for was in God and faith was only the link to tap into that power.

God miraculously delivered the Children of Israel out of Egypt, across the Red Sea and into the wilderness on their journey to the land He had promised to them. Because of their lack of faith when the spies brought back their report from the Promised land, God chose to let them wonder in the wilderness for forty years. During that time, they questioned God’s providential care, and complained about where they were. They even wanted to go back to Egypt where they had been in bondage. God promised to take care of them, in spite of their unhappiness. He told them He would send them bread and meat to sustain them. However, He also gave them instructions on how to take care of the provisions He would provide for them. He did not want them to store up food, but to depend on Him for their daily needs. In the morning He sent them the bread of manna, and in the evening, quail for meat. They were not to store the manna from one day to the next, except for the Sabbath day when they would gather twice as much on the day before. Some of them did not listen to this command and the manna bred worms and spoiled. God was not please with those who did that. Some gather more some less but there was always enough for all. See the account in Exodus 16:4-30.

God wanted them to exercise their faith and trust in Him. He wanted them to know, that He was attentive to their needs and would provide daily as the need arose. This He did for the forty years they wandered in the wilderness. They had food to eat and their clothes did not wear out. So it is with our faith. God does not give us a bucket full, but to each of us He has given us a drop to use. As the children of Israel were provided enough manna for each day whither they gathered much or little, so the Lord asks us to exercise the faith He has given us. I stand to be corrected, but we may never get more than that drop of faith. However, sometimes it takes more than a bucket of courage to exercise that faith.

Courage is one of the key ingredients to exercising our faith; whereas our own fear, and intellect may well be the biggest hindrance. We can ask the Lord for courage and strength to move on in faith. Courage doesn’t mean we are not afraid, but it moves on in spite of fear, and what others may think.

We have an example in the New Testament. See Matthew 14:22-33. Peter saw the Lord walking on the sea. In his bold manner he told Jesus if it was indeed Him, He should tell him to come out of the boat to meet Him. Whereupon, Jesus told Peter to come. As Peter began walking on the water, he took his eyes off Jesus and began to look at the waves and the sea, becoming afraid. He realized that what he was doing was not possible, and his fear of the storm overtook him and he began to sink. Subsequently, he called out to Jesus to save him. Jesus, taking him by the hand, and lifting him up, asked him why he lacked faith. He then helped Peter into the boat and the sea became calm. There are several things to note in this story. Peter’s fear and intellect destroyed his faith, which was the only thing that kept him walking on the water to Jesus. Had he kept his eyes on the Lord, he no doubt would not have succumbed to fear and sinking. Then Jesus came to him in the storm and saved him from drowning. It was only after Jesus had saved him and they were in the boat that the storm calmed. This is what kind of God we serve. He comes to us and saves us in the storm then brings us into His safe refuge. Peter was a courageous man, but his faith became weak when he took his eyes off of the Lord and focused on his surroundings.

God is not interested in how much faith we have, but He is interested in our love and trust in Him. Our faith is only the link to that power. There is no power in faith itself, but our power is in the one who created us, and everything that we can and cannot see. Fear, worry, and complaining could be an indicator of a lack of faith in God’s divine care.

Pause and reflect a moment on the account of Job. He was sorely tested and tried, yet his faith in God did not diminish. Even after he went through losing his children, everything he had, and his wife telling him to curse God, he still, maintained his faith that God was in control. His testimony of his faith is inspiring. See Job 19:25. We may never go through an experience like Job, but we all face situations that test our faith in God. We all wish for more faith, and more courage. Our hearts long for the blessing of God to smile upon us. We long to feel his touch. However, life is not that way. The sun doesn’t always shine, but we know it is there. We may not always feel a tangible love for our spouse or children but we know it is there. So with God, we may not always feel His presents, but we can be assured that His promises are true, and we live from day to day, trusting in Him.

May God give each of us the courage to exercise our drop of faith, which in turn will quell our fears.