One thing Pastor Anita spoke on earlier in February was that in increasing our faith, there will be tests and challenges because God is looking for someone He can trust. God has certain assignments for us to do, and He gives us grace to do them, but there are criteria; and thus, testing for it. You can watch her full message here.
You might have felt it already; this year is starting to feel less like an increase in faith and more like an increase in challenge! It’s in the midst of these moments where it can feel hard to hear the voice of God. And it can be easy to believe that this is because we’ve failed somehow, but there is grace.
Just because you can’t hear the Lord doesn’t mean He can’t hear you. There have been prayers of mine that had been answered, though they were ones I prayed when I didn’t think God would be listening. There have been times where I have not been in the best space to hear the Lord, but I asked for peace in the midst of all of the noise. And though I didn’t hear a word from the Lord, I felt His peace invade.
God doesn’t only throw out lifelines to those who “deserve it”; the people who don’t mess up or obey right away when they hear the Lord speak. If that were the case, Jonah would have long deteriorated in the belly of that fish, and John would no longer be a disciple after the rooster crowed.
And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Romans 11:6.
Steve & Amanda Chow said it in their testimony last November: “Grace stops being grace when we try to earn it.” You can watch their full testimony here.
Our walk might not be perfect, but walking with Jesus is still walking. So, whatever season this year finds you in, God’s grace is sufficient for all.
My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.
1 Corinthians 12:9
Pastor Anita shares more on the steps to Increase Our Faith in her devotion, which can be found here.