"If you can!"

First of all, since this will be one of those theological/intellectual thought kind of post, we'll start with something cute. Using the tutu tutorial (try saying that without thinking of The Beatles' singing, "Goo goo gajoob" from "I Am the Walrus") I made Ellie a tutu the other night. It's her Christmas present but I had to try it on her the next morning to make sure the size was right. How awesome is finding projects that cost less than $10 to make and only takes an hour? Yeah, awesome. I'm telling you, you have to check out that website.
On to the meat of the post and I would love to hear thoughts afterward as I'm hearing this topic all over the place the lately.
We have been going through the Gospel of Mark in our Sunday School class. This past week we spent a lot of time and discussion on chapter 9, verses 14-29, finding the main focus to be on verses 22-24. Let's read them (first, some background - a man is seeking healing for his demon possessed son. The disciples have already tried to heal him and were unable to and so the man has asked Jesus.)
"(22)And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." (23) And Jesus said to him, "'If you can!' All things are possible for one who believes." (24) Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!"
Thus brought on the discussion of belief and faith and how little we have of both. One man explained that there is a woman he works with, fairly "charismatic" if you want to describe her as such, who tells him about the things she prays for that actually come to be. He said he often leaves her office in tears because, whereas he has the "head knowledge" of the Bible and how his faith should be, she actually has the belief and confident faith.
My mom has changed her way of praying and I admire it and am starting to follow her example because...well, it makes sense when I think about it. She prays something specific, believing that God can do it. When my dad went in to have some x-rays done a couple months ago on his chest (he was having some breathing problems), she prayed that they would be nothing but dried-up blood clots (which he developed in early 2005.) She told me to ask people to pray, but to pray specifically for that and if they couldn't, then don't pray at all. That is how we prayed and that is what the doctor said they were.
I have been thinking, and have talked with the girls in my small group, about how often we give God an "out." We pray things like, "God, please (insert request) but if it's not Your will, then that's ok." I think we have developed a weak way of praying when we say things like that. Why wouldn't God want us to be healthy? Why wouldn't He want the best for us, especially when He has given us so many promises in the Bible and we should be praying them? Why do we have such a hard time asking for something and believing He - the Creator of the universe - can actually do it?
Think, or look, back at the passage in Mark. The boy's father says, "but if you can do anything." Do you treat God like that?
Look at Jesus' response, "'If you can!' All things are possible for one who believes."
So why don't we?
It would be really easy in my life to be discouraged, stressed out and anxious. I could live in a state of worry about Tim's job and where work will come from and how we will pay the bills. However, God has taught us a lesson time and again and that is that He is a faithful Provider. He has never let us fall. Never ever.
We have grown so much in the last 6-8 months, starting back in the Spring. As we studied the Bible and sought the teaching of people with strong faith who were living it out, we felt ourselves
be challenged. We started letting our chains be loosened, stepping out in faith that God was going to come through. We started giving more - and with cheerful hearts - and we saw His blessings. BUT, and this is a great BIG BUT, we do NOT give to others with the expectation for God to bless us in return for what we have done. Our motives are not selfish, but because we can't help but do it. When you feel the Spirit move you to do something, you do it! If you don't, you've missed out on a great opportunity to do something for the Lord. We were tired of missed opportunities due to our tight fists and unbelief.
We are on a journey meeting many who have been through similar situations and are also tired of living their old "Christian" lives, people sharing hearts and missions and who are eager to walk on a path God is calling them to. Our hearts are filled with anticipation and excitement and a bubbling over to tell others what He has done and how He is working and how He can do the same for them.
"All things are possible for one who believes."
Do you still try to control your life? Do you find yourself being put through situations again and again and again, much to your frustration? Do you really believe God can come through for you? Or do you talk one way and believe another?
I'm not saying it's easy to learn. But it's freeing when you get to the point when you, as the saying goes, "let go and let God."
"All things are possible for one who believes."
How much do you believe?