One of the gifts of the Spirit is faith. (1Corinthians 12:9) Twice God has given me that gift. Once was on vacation, when our old Volkswagen bus broke down. As my husband and I stood by the side of road, looking at the sheared-off bolt from the water pump, I felt sure that we would be fine, all would work out, and we’d find what we needed without any trouble. We did not damage the engine further as we drove into the closest town. We found two wonderful mechanics who drilled out the bolt and allowed us to use their facility to finish the repair. We were on our way again in a few hours. They charged us a few dollars and we tipped them $10 for their kindness.
The second time was earlier this month. On the morning of a talk to a mother/daughter group, I woke up with an image of peace and power. I usually feel confident I’ll do an adequate job of speaking. But that morning, I felt more than confident. And it was as I imagined: my delivery was good and the women responded to my words. They discussed the topic and engaged in the exercise. I trust God has used my words to enhance their relationships.
These experiences are different that my usual, “I think it’ll be okay. God is with me. He will help me.” I mean those words, but I don’t always, completely, believe them. In those two times, I just knew. I wasn’t making anything up, and my trust was complete.
How many times I’ve tried to manufacture “faith.” Maybe you know what I mean. Like The Little Engine That Could, I say all kinds of faith-sounding phrases, starting with: I think God can… What a gift to relax in his peace and power. May we all seek him more and more for true gifts of faith.
Father, increase our desire to receive your gifts. We need your power to spread your peace.