Reality Check

How do I respond when my faith and reality go head-to-head?

That is the question I have been asking myself for the last several days. 

We each have moments when it seems that nothing can go wrong. The birds are singing, the car doesn’t break down, and no bills show up in the mail. Then, in a split second of time, we plummet from the mountaintop to stare human reality square in the face.

(Homeless area in Downtown Baltimore)

What exactly causes us to worry? Where does the doubt come from…when just a few short hours ago there was nothing that God couldn’t do?

My mind immediately went to Matthew 8 where the disciples followed Jesus as He got into a boat. Sounds simple enough, right? 

Jesus is getting in the boat….so I’m with Him. It made perfect sense to follow Him. He just finished telling one of His disciples to let the dead bury their own dead….you come and follow me.
Miracle after miracle had just occurred and the disciples had witnessed them all. So faith had to be at an all-time high.

Here they were, discussing the amazing things they had just witnessed. One of them might have thought, ‘how incredible to be one of the few on the boat with Christ.’ Someone might have even said, “Boys, it just doesn’t get any better than this.”

Isn’t it amazing though how reality can brew up from the most unexpected places?

(Stormy night in Forest Hill)

The Bible doesn’t just describe a storm. Scripture said, “A great storm arose. . .” The boat was being tossed about by the wind and waves. How could He (Jesus) sleep at such a time as this? In their terror, they woke up the Master shouting, “Lord, save us! Don’t you know that we are about to drown?” The Lord looks at them and asks, “Why are you so afraid, O ye of little faith?”

In other words, He asked, “What happened to that joyous faith you had awhile ago?”

Oh, but, God, you don’t understand. You were asleep. 

And this storm – it’s so violent and unrelenting.

Does that sound like where you’re at?

Even though it is no game, it could be compared to the college football game of the week…
   …fresh passion and purpose vs financial uncertainty
   …ready to take the plunge and follow God’s call vs self-insecurity
   …God’s way vs my way
   …beginning again vs comfort and security
   …faith vs reality.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Faith is the substance of things HOPED for and the EVIDENCE of things not yet seen.”

You can’t lose 100 lbs in a day. There is a process you have to go through in order to obtain that goal. Anyone can start the journey with passion and excitement.
But how do individuals truly get in shape?
They consistently look in the mirror and focus on who they are going to be and not what they currently see.

(Sunset in the mirror)

When that reality check shows up on your doorstep, what happens? Does your faith in God run and hide, or does it surge to the forefront knowing that nothing is impossible to them that believe.