By Faith or By the Seat of Your Pants?

I know this may seem difficult for some, but I actually prefer things somewhat orderly. Back in college, I had my life so scheduled that I had to make an appointment just to go to the bathroom. I had my week all plotted out in a grid that I would photocopy each month & fill out. It looked painful.

Since college...some 20 years later...I wonder if I could ever become that structured again. I miss it. I minored in management while in college. I gobbled that up like a hungry puppy. I love trying to develop a "plan" to get things done. Many times, it's a plan for someone else...never me. I get things done when I can. I would quit procrastinating, but I just keep putting it off....

I am pretty much the same way in my faith. I have little tolerance for the "see-saw" method of faith. I think that if you want God to show you His Will, get off your fanny & start walking in any direction. If you're going the wrong way, He'll stop you pretty quick (if you're truly in tune with Him). Working in ministry, I don't care how much you want to trust God for your next step, if you don't have a good plan, your faith will be shot full of holes.

I can come across as being pretty "secular", I guess. I have a deep faith in knowing God has everything under control. But I also believe that I play a big role in His keeping things under control. God is not a babysitter. He is alive and active. And we should be, too, if we want Him to be alive and active in our lives.

I also believe in taking risks. I feel that if God is leading you in a direction, why would we want to sit around and wait for a "confirmation"? Just do it. If you make a mistake, God will provide you an eraser. I want to be patient. And I think I am. I am not tolerant. Even God has His "Judgement Day".

I am also learning to be discreet in what the future holds. I've found that by "jumping the gun" and waiting for that stroke of luck that is possible in the future will come back to bite you in the butt. I believe in keeping many irons in the fire. That is not because I lack faith. It's because I have so much of it. It's like having several fishing lines in the water at the same time.

Get a plan. Even if its the wrong plan, get a plan anyway. Start somewhere. Quit "waiting on God" and start working with God. I realize that there are times where we do, in fact, need to wait upon the Lord. But I also feel that while we wait, we can be busy doing other tasks that need to be done in the event that God provides your answer.

As the Apostle Paul writes:

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I will show you faith from my works. (Or: Show me your faith from your works, and from my works I will show you my faith.) 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. The demons also believe—and they shudder. 20 Foolish man! Are you willing to learn that faith without works is useless? 21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active together with his works, and by works, faith was perfected. 23 So the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him for righteousness, You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 And in the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by a different route? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (Jas. 2:18-26, Holman Christian Standad Version.)

I tend to believe that statement I placed in italics above: "Show me your faith from your works, and from my works I will show you my faith". It is by taking the risks in life that I show my faith in what God can do.