For years I shrunk back from the power of faith, seeing its might like an approaching Mac truck in the next lane. I wanted to play it safe, not wanting it to hit me, thinking it might damage my existence, mangling me into and maligning me as a fanatic that favored faith over the God that demanded it. Yes, I believed God could do anything and wanted Him to do what I believed He placed on my heart, but I would have a hard time seeing my life play out in the visions He showed me.
“…Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mark 9:24).
God did. I would feel an urging in my spirit to obey God, just follow the path he showed me: Marry Flynn; join his church; submit to the church’s biased leadership; keep my mouth shut and show my husband through my actions; quit my tenured job; be a homemaker; and a host of other demands that at the time I could not see how they related to my life mission: to encourage Christian women, particularly black Americans, to be biblical all their various roles.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [his] purpose” (Romans 8:28).
The more I obeyed, the more I saw God work in my tough moments. Obedience increased my faith in God and in the visions coming to pass. So from the hidden spaces of my house to the unveiled vastness of the Internet, God has recently given me some platforms to carry out my mission, the latest one being Empowering Everyday Woman Magazine, where I am the new parenting columnist for this online news source for Christian women of color. Check out the introductory feature on me in the latest edition.
“. . . [T]tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:” (Romans 5:3-4).
Now my faith is strong, knowing that I may not know exactly how God will bring His vision for my life to pass but confident that He will.
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).
So today I thank God for His faithfulness. Through it I have become more faithful.
My One Thousand Gifts List
#41-50
AAA Road Service
A husband willing to wait for AAA Road Service
A mother-in-law I can talk to
Being able to hear God’s voice
The Holy Ghost giving ears to my spirit
Keeping me safe on the road with three flat tires
A loving church
Deacon Elijah for telling me about my flat tires
Brother John Malloy for noticing the first flat tire
Brothers Leartis and John for attempting to change one tire and get air for the other ones.
Copyright 2011 by Rhonda J. Smith
