God is Faithful

THIS WEEK was full of overflowing blessings. God has been using the people in my life to help me raise money formy mission trip - I'm up to about $1300 now! Last week God gave me the courage to go and give my teachers at school letters about my trip. From my teachers alone I've received $170, and from my Grandparents, who are visiting for my sister's 16th birthday party, I received $1000. My friends on my team are very encouraged by this, and so am I.

I know this is happening because God is blessing it. It reminds me of Ephesians 3:20-21. "[20] Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, [21] to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Besides this wonderful miracle, yet another one shines from the middle of this week like a small, bright jewel.

Beginning on Friday, I was worried all weekend because I was trying to find a very important assignment that I had lost. This assignment was a big stack of labs that I had turned in last year and had received back so that I could turn them in with this year's labs as well. I looked everywhere and tried to think where they could be, but they seemed to have been lost from the face of the earth. It would mean trouble for me if I couldn't find them, because they were an Internal Assessment required by IB. If I didn't have them, IB might not have me.

But as the weekend went on, although I was very concerned, I had increasing peace. I didn't feel hopeless, even though I didn't know if I would ever find them. This was because I was trusting in God completely and persistently.

I had a very good talk with Him where I told Him what He already knew - that I knew He could make anything possible, and that He is bigger than my problems. I remembered David's victory over Goliath, which was won because he stood up to honor God and because he had faith in Him. In the name of Jesus Christ I claimed God's promises that He answers prayers, that He is always victorious, and that He is looking out for me. He will never let us fall through the cracks and disappoint us, because He loves us very deeply.

I read John 15 not too long ago, and verse 7 stood out to me. Jesus says, "If you abide in Me, and I in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you." This gave me hope because it told me that if God agrees that what we ask is what is good for us, He will give us what we ask. The asking is itself an act of faith, since it shows that we know He will answer.

Neverthless we must trust God that He always knows better than we do. I read 2 Corinthians 12, which showed me that even Paul faced times when some nagging problem was troubling him. In this case it seems to have been an unnamed health problem.

v. 8-9 gave me hope: "[8] Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. [9] And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

It is my firm believe that there is no better way to respond to any problem than to trust God and to make the effort toward a solution. When we do this, God will make sure that whatever happens, we'll be okay. Whatever happens, His will will be done. It is the function of true faith to believe that He is still Lord over the situation, even when we cannot understand what is happening. He will see our faith and respond.

It was Wednesday, the day I needed to turn the labs in with this year's labs in the last class of the day. I had not found them, yet I was not worried. I had printed out copies of the few labs I had on my computer (the special lab reports). But those three were all I had of the labs from last year.

I was at my locker before lunch, with only my Physics class left in the day, and I was looking for an extra binder which I would use to hold the labs I had to turn in. I remember thinking, "Could it still be in here? Is it possible? No, it's not possible." And I opened up a binder that was filled with nineteen beautiful labs.

I was already crouching next to my locker, but now I fell backwards a little and sat down. One of my friends walked by and asked if I was alright. Oh, I was better than alright!!

I found them. I really found them. Praise God that I found them, just in time! I know that I had them in my locker all along, and I know it's not the loaves and the fishes. But this is a miracle, because God has directly and definitely answered my prayers.

Whoever you are, I want you to know that God does this for His people on a regular basis. He loves giving us reasons to trust Him more than we already do. He enjoys helping His people, and He wants to give us what He knows we need. It's our job to trust Him in all circumstances, to serve Him every day, and to praise Him in all seasons. He really does deserve all the praise, and He has proven Himself faithful since the time He made the world.

In fact, He talks about us in Psalm 91:15, saying "He shall call upon Me, and I shall answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him."