Where is Your Faith? (Luke 8:25)
/I recently sang at a memorial service. In the days leading up to the service, my throat was scratchy. At first I thought I had strained my vocal cords through practice, but it became increasingly clear that I had caught a cold. On the day of the performance, my throat was burning. Several people were already praying for me. And yet, I began to doubt whether God would help me. I sought out several other brothers and sisters in Christ, before the service, and asked them to pray for my healing.
The service commenced and the time for my performance quickly approached. My throat was still burning as I sipped on water to diminish the pain. “Lord, I guess you won’t heal me,” I lamented in my mind. And then, one minute before my performance, the pain disappeared, my throat cleared, and my anxiety was gone. God healed me!
He said to them, “ Where is your faith?”
Luke 8:25 (ESV)
Where is my faith? Is it buried beneath layers of self-reliance, pride, and arrogance? Is it so small that I am unable or unwilling to ask God for His help? Is it choked off by the worries of this world? Sadly, the answer is yes to all, more often than I would like to admit.
In God’s perfect timing, He healed me. And in the most beautiful irony of this day, the song I sang was “Blessings”, by Laura Story. The words are so fitting, reminding me of the many ways God can bless me, especially through trials and hardships.
I am continually humbled by God’s mercy and grace in my life. He helps me even when I doubt His love and the faithful prayers of His Church.
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, This is not our home
It's not our home
'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise