Choosing to Believe

I make choices every day.

• • What to eat for breakfast
  • What clothes to wear
  • What to do with my time
  • What I believe
  • What’s my source for truth

Last week I wrote about how God delights in us. I love knowing I am the sparkle in His eye. But you may wonder how I came to firmly believe this was true. Remember the two Scriptures we looked at?

“The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17.

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.” Heb. 12:2a.

It came down to making a choice of what I believe…the Word of God, or the thoughts in my mind that are highly influenced by the voice of God’s enemy.

I make choices of belief based on a source of truth. I believe when I drop a rock it will fall to the ground. Why? Because I have seen it happen every time I drop a rock (law of gravity). If someone told me when I drop a rock it will fly, I would know that person was not telling the truth.

Similarly, over the years I have had many chances to see that God’s Word is truthful.

•  While in college I needed gas money for a trip to visit a friend. I asked God to provide. The day before I left I received a birthday card from my grandmother with $10.00- just the amount I needed for gas. On the surface that sounds like something I could have expected rather than a miraculous provision. But, it was the one and only birthday card my grandmother ever sent me, and it wasn’t anywhere near my birthday.
•  When I miscarried, God’s comfort penetrated my heart to a depth that human comfort could not.
•  When we lost our house to a gradual landslide, which wasn’t covered by insurance, I had a peace that defied logic. I knew we would be cared for.
• During that same event God taught my then teenage daughter that relationships are far more important than material things.

By experience, God proved His Word to me. Now when I read that He provides, I say, “Yes, I have seen His provision.” I have also seen that He comforts, He gives peace that passes understanding, and He uses all things for good for those who love Him. I see that He speaks truth.

So, when I read that He delights in me, and I know He speaks truth, I know I can believe it.  Just like I can believe that He loves me and wants me to be in heaven with him for all eternity.

By contrast, God’s enemy is called the Father of Lies. When my mind says Oh, He doesn’t love you. You are worthless, I ask myself if that is what God’s word says. Oops, nope. So, those thoughts didn’t come from God. Once I clarify which words are true, I make a choice to believe them.

Cartoons I watched as a little girl often showed a character making a tough decision. On one shoulder sat an angel. On the other sat a devil. They each spoke without ceasing until the cartoon character made a choice. The angel urged choices that reflected moral good or reflected truth. The devil urged actions that reflected evil or lies. While that sounds a little corny, it accurately portrays what happens in our minds as we struggle to believe the truth. Even once we know which words we should believe it is a fight to follow through on that choice.

Here’s the good news. The more often we say, “I choose to believe what God says in His Word,” the easier it gets. So you go girl. Even if you have to say it one hundred times in a day, keep choosing to believe the truth. Line upon line, precept upon precept, choose to believe God’s Word.