So, You Think a Life of Faith Is Boring?

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”                — Jesus  (John 10:10)

One of the devil’s tactics that seems especially effective in American circles is the lie that being a Christ-follower is somehow boring. I am sometimes asked by people who spend their weekends at bars and cocktail parties, “So, what do you do for fun?” My response, at least in my mind, is, Are you kidding me? as I try not to burst out laughing. Usually I’ll just smile and answer, “How much time do you have?” (I have a lot of stories.)

I’m not the only one. My friend Janice is another one of those people who could tell “God stories” all day. She will agree with me that when a need arises, it’s not a “problem” so much as an opportunity to see how the Lord is going to show Himself sufficient. The fact that her funds are limited is not a source of complaining on her part, but rather a constant reminder of her dependence on the Lord to meet every need. It also sets the stage for some great testimonies about His resourcefulness and creativity.

When Janice and her two daughters needed a car, their natural response to the need was to ask their heavenly Father for one. Janice prayed that the car would be an SUV, because her dream was to have a job delivering flowers. One of her daughters had prayed that they would get it for a good price – to be specific, free. The other daughter had just prayed for a blue car, because blue was her favorite color.

Meanwhile, the son-in-law of “Amy,” a lady at Janice’s church, was in another part of the state when his car blew a head gasket and was rendered useless. Upon hearing that the car had “died,” Amy loaned him her car to get him to work until he could purchase another car. But since Amy needed to get around, too, she and her husband decided this was as good a time as any to get that new car for Amy that they had been talking about.

A couple of days later, Amy was happily driving her new car. A couple of weeks later, her son-in-law had his new car, which was much better suited for him than the blue SUV he had borrowed from his mother-in-law. Of course, Amy no longer needed her old car, so when they heard from the church that a lady was in need of a car, Amy and her husband were happy to let her take their old one off their hands. They had no idea that “SUV,” “free,” and “blue” were the specific requests Janice and her daughters had presented to their heavenly Father.

Scripture says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) To truly believe that is to see God’s hand in every little detail of our lives. There will be those events and situations we don’t understand, but those occasions give us opportunities to exercise and stretch our faith. On the other hand, if we have a “divine perspective,” we may be surprised at how many details we do understand and see falling into place to meet our needs – and often even our wants. God loves to delight His children.

If you ask me, seeing things from a divine perspective – and telling the “God stories” that follow – is much more fun than drinking – and God’s blessings don’t leave you with a hangover.

Prayer: Lord, forgive us for every time we have treated You in a “ho-hum” kind of way, when prayers were looked upon as a chore, and when Your provision went unnoticed. Help us to recognize Your hand in our lives, to tell our “God stories,” and to listen to the stories of others. Help live each day with an excitement that the rest of the world will envy and want. And when they ask, may we be ready to share the Good News boldly with them and see souls added to Your kingdom, in Jesus’ name. Amen