You can shoot or you can sing !

Bob Reccord had a severe cervical spinal injury. Pain was frequent and severe, sleep was minimal.  He had to wear a neck brace for five weeks straight. About halfway through this experience, he was sitting in his screened-in porch  on a cold day when suddenly a bird landed on the railing and began to sing.  Bob could not believe on such a cold and rainy day that any creature had a reason to sing. He wanted to shoot that bird !  But the bird kept up his happy chorus and Bob had no choice but to listen.   The next day it was sunny and warm and Bob was tempted to feel sorry for himself as he sat once again on his porch. Suddenly that bird showed up and began to sing again. As he was wishing for his shotgun suddenly it hit Bob: the bird was able to sing no matter what the situation ! 

So what’s your circumstances lately?  Are you still singing?  Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”      A RIGHT faith will make things right !     This part of the faith chapter precedes many of the grand stories of faith in it like Noah, Abraham, Sarah, & Joseph.    But before God reminds us of these folks of faith He stops to repeat something very important about faith:  choosing to take God at His Word no matter what befalls you is CRITICAL !

Let me ask you – who lives without faith? NO ONE !   Even the atheist has his belief system.  So He’s not speaking of any faith but a faith IN Him !  In fact it states its IMPOSSIBLE to please God apart from such faith. That word is the opposite of powerful and means unable to be done ! Nobody gets to heaven apart from Christ, and no Christian can “sing” apart from truly trusting Him either.  So think about this for a sec, are you REALLY serious about those things you know He wants from you?   You will struggle if you’re not regularly reading and drawing strength from His Word.  If worry is taking over, did you forget you can pray and “cast all your care on Him for He cares for you”?     It really reduces the pressure when you truly trust. 

You may be like Bob today or you may know someone who is “injured”.  Draw encouragement for yourself or others as you find a genuine reason to sing no matter what !   Yes in trials there will still be the concern, the doubts, the fears but trusting God will stabilize you and bring you back to a place of confidence that He is real and is even using your adversity for great good (Rom.8:28) !!!!