“My marriage is beyond help. I pray and pray for God to make me a better husband, to change my wife’s attitude. Nothing!”
I was attending a marriage seminar, listening to this husband share his struggles with his marriage.
“I know God can do anything. I just want Him to give me more patience and make her see my side!”
His words gave me pause. If he truly believed God could do anything, why would he limit his requests to such a feeble request? Why not ask God to completely restore his marriage? Why not, indeed?
Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:21-26 (NKJV)
Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus were some of Jesus’ closest friends. Martha confesses an amazing truth, that whatever Jesus asks of God, He will give to Him. Does Martha believe this? In the next verse she confesses and states:
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
John 11:27 (NKJV)
If she truly believed this, why would she limit Jesus’ power to an event that will happen in the future? Why didn’t she ask Him to restore her brother’s life at that moment? Didn’t Martha believe this? Why did she limit God’s power? Why indeed?
I should look in the mirror. Do I believe this? Why do I continually limit God’s power in the same manner? How many times have I prayed for something and not asked for God to truly show His power in my life? Instead I limit my requests that demonstrate that my God is too small, just like my faith. I ask for forgiveness in a relationship when I should be asking for restoration. I ask for strength to endure a trial when I should be asking for God to use it to transform and strengthen my faith in Him.
Dear God, help me to have the faith to move mountains. Help me to claim the promise that you proclaimed to us.
If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.
Mark 9:23 (NKJV)
Amen!
Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.
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