My son limped into the kitchen unleashing small screams. He looked like a dog with a crippled leg and whined like Poodle just freed from a jammed doggy door. Needless to say, any enjoyment, quiet or solitude that comes with morning coffee left, quickly. “I can’t walk. I can’t….mommy!”
All 40-pounds of him appeared, stumbled and reached out for me in agony.
I didn’t move, just smiled and said, “Good, Michael, God is answering your prayers.”
Now before you think I’m the most insensitive mom out there, which at times, I can be, let me tell you: Kid’s been praying for strength. He’s also spent hours the day before playing at a jump-zone, a rough and tumble get-all-your energy-out kid playground of the indoor variety. Kid was plain-and-simple – sore.
Often, when we pray for strength, we’re shocked by the means in which we get it.
I explained to him how muscles tear when pushed physically, but how they repair stronger. They’re torn, so they may be rebuilt with more power.
Likewise, when we pray for growth, strength or to look like Christ, we’re often torn in order to be rebuilt with more power.
What tears are you experiencing today? What might be breaking for God’s remaking?
Be not discouraged, the tearing starts the rebuiliding. What he’s pulling on, will become more beautiful in time. What He’s doing is not to hurt you, but to help you. What strength you’ve prayed for, is likely in process.
We can’t see it in the moment, because, in the moment, is a test of sorts, kind of like this:
(Jesus) said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. John 6:5-6
Jesus was building Philip’s faith muscle. He tested it to see if it was strong and then, by multiplying loaves and fish, he ripped his disbelief and made it whole.
He’s likely doing that with us too.
What might God be calling you to believe in?
Inviting you to see?
Tearing so he can make it even bigger, bolder and better for his name?
Kelly’s new book, Fear Fighting: Awakening Courage to Overcome Your Fears has been called “A must read,” “Breathtakingly honest” and a “Great Toolbox to Overcome Fear.” Read it today.
Discover how to flee from fear and fly in faith through 4 Days to Fearless Challenge.
Get all Purposeful Faith blog posts by email – click here.
So need this today! God has been speaking this truth into my life for several weeks. Thanks for underscoring it in such a powerful way! One of my favorite posts of yours.