'GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS' - Post 4 - Where there is faith............

As a people, we are very ambitious and this is good, there is however a downside to this. We can lose
our selves in pursuing self-advancement; a bigger degree for that bigger salary, a bigger house, a newer car, and find ourselves wondering, why am I not happy, why does my life feel so dull. The thing is, we forget to be thankful for the little things that we already have, without which, our lives would not mean much. Our relationships, our health, our faith, our freedom, I could go on.

There are times in my life when I feel I could have achieved more in certain areas, and as a result I beat upon myself and take on a 'woe is me' attitude. Thankfully, I am soon reminded that less I be accused of being ungrateful, I do have things to be thankful for. 

In my pursuit to become a more thankful and happier person, in general then, I am urged to add a new posting feature to my blog, a segment dedicated to being thankful, which I have decided to call ‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS', where I will post all the things in my life that I am thankful for, regardless of how small and especially those things which I have learnt the most from.

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Post 4 - Where there is faith

Let me first apologize for last week's grateful Wednesday post. I was in over my head that day and could not honour my obligation. So sorry.

Today I am grateful for my faith.

In Hebrews 11 verse 1 (KJV), faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen and Microsoft Word Thesaurus defined faith with words such as, confidence, assurance and conviction.

It is not easy to keep hope alive, when everything else is dictating to you to give up, throw in the towel. This was the case for me with my infertility struggles. I tested my faith over and over again throughout this decade long struggle, and many times gave up in my physical self as no answer was forthcoming. I many times found myself calling out to God, are you there? Its me, Marie, do you remember the many prayers of a stammer, freckled face girl, who so desperately wants to be a Mother.

I did not give up, my faith would not let me, as I had the conviction that my answer would come one day. After all, I did test my faith in other areas of my life and it worked, so I believed this instance had no reason to be different, so much so that somewhere around 2004/2005, I went as far as designing the invitation for a Christening Brunch I wanted to have when my child was being christened, you get the picture, and guess what, I did use it for my son’s christening in December 2007.

I somehow knew though, especially when my struggles intensified, that I was certainly experiencing some refining fire. I was not the person God intended me to be and so I was being tested, prodded and molded and would come out as good gold.

My faith won out, be it all of a decade long, and now I am having it a little easier putting my faith to work in other areas of my life. Thanks be to God.

Let me encourage you in your struggles then, to put your faith to work. We are all equipped with just the right amount of faith that we need to overcome our circumstances. Hold on even tighter when those feelings to give up come knawing at your heart strings. The saying goes, "when you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on. Remember too that the darkest hour of the night is just before dawn.

BE ENCOURAGED THEREFORE