Fear for Faith

I found myself staring at a text I had just sent, thinking, "Well, duh!"

One of my youth group kids had just asked for prayer over text and had in return asked me what I would like prayer for.
As I am for the first time going to be a camp speaker this week, my prayer was:

"Yes! I am speaking for 7th grade camp next week and I just want to preach God's heart--pray that I can put that into words that He gives me. I know He will."

Well, duh! Before I could even finish that prayer text I found my faith in God coming out, stating, "I know He will!" I know He will give me the words to say! I will He will shine through me at camp because He has been walking alongside me (baby step by baby step) through this process of preparing for camp.

 

This scenario reminded me in the Bible of what James talks about in the first verses of the first chapter of James.

"5If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6But when you ask Him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. 7Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do."

 

When I begin to work in this worldly mindset where I think, "God needs to show up. What if He doesn't show up? Because I need a message for camp. It's in two days! GAH" I realize my faith is divided between my ability to make a message happen and God's ability to give me words straight from His heart. It's so easy to see from farther away that God IS going to show up, that I just need to let go of my fears and call upon my Father who is a GENEROUS God that freely gives wisdom when we ask for it. It's amazing how much this realization comforts me.

 

Am I alone in this, or are you battling/have you battled in a similar scenario? Where you need wisdom, guidance, you need God to show up? Let's put all of our faith in God's hands. Because when we pull ourselves momentarily out of our worries, we remember that the God we serve is faithful, and as we are doing His work we can call upon Him for help with that work. Surely by believing through faith that God will provide, He is only too happy to do so in HIS way, and in HIS timing.
 

Prayer: God, please give me the wisdom I need to complete the task at hand that You've given me. I know You are a faithful God and you will provide me with the means to do the job You asked me to do. I know that about You. Help my faith not to waver, my steps not to stray from Your straight path, and for my eyes to not leave Yours. It is in You alone that I trust. Amen.