Faith

In 2008, I got my first motorcycle. I still have it today. Back then I had some different ideas about faith and how to develop it, and how to use it. I thought it was something to be exercised (and maybe it is) and to be used like money to get “stuff.” And I thought I needed faith in order to get something like a motorcycle, which I had wanted all of my adult life.  I guess the problem with this is that I envisioned God manipulating the numbers of my credit score and the minds of bank managers and whom ever and whatever else needed to be manipulated. And I was certainly trying to manipulate God with my “faith.”

Things are different now. I no longer think God is my Santa Claus in the sky making things happen for me. Does God care about the things that interest me, or the things I desire? I would say yes. But I don’t have to use manipulation to get something from Him. I don’t have to memorize tons of scripture to develop faith. I already have faith. And I have faith because I have begun to know the One we call God and the Son of God, Jesus.

The difference in my thinking now is that I know God loves me. ME! And this changes my perspective quite a bit. I also know beyond a doubt that God dwells in me through His Spirit and that I have a permanent connection with him, forever, because Jesus came as a man, joining us together with God. You should read all that again. When I discovered these truths having enough faith was no problem.

All I really needed to do back in 2008 was to go down to the bike shop and negotiate a deal I could afford. When people are selling a product they will really bend over backward to make that sale happen. Back then I didn’t have that great of a credit score so it cost me a little more in interest. But I made the deal to get the bike and I paid it off early.

Now, of course I gave God the credit for enabling me to get the bike as I should’ve. But the truth is I could have gone down and made that deal at any time. One thing that did happen back then that I really do attribute to God is the timing. When I woke up that morning I had an overwhelming desire to get down to that bike shop. I bought the only bike in the shop that I liked, and there were several other people there who wanted that bike. But I got there first.

The car I’m driving right now I bought with confidence. I bought it brand new. I had no doubt (well maybe a little) that I was gonna get the car. Just like the motorcycle dealership, Stokes Honda wanted to sell me a car, and so they made me a deal I could live with. I was nervous the whole time. A car is an expensive endeavor. I just kept reminding myself that God was with me and that calmed my nerves.

My credit had improved a little by the time I bought the new car because I bought the motorcycle and paid it off quickly. And now my credit score is quite high because I have not had any trouble making my loan payments. I may even be able to pay it off early as well.

How did my faith play into this? I know God loves me and is with me everywhere I go or whatever I do. This gives me the confidence to go out and make things happen for myself. Is  God working behind the scenes to help me out? Probably. But probably not in the way in which I used to think he did it. But because I know beyond a doubt that He is with me and loves me confidence is created in my heart. I am also confident that He will stop me if I am making a mistake. And He has stopped me, or at least tried to stop me from making mistakes before. He is not silent when it comes to his children. That is faith my friends.