I remember at age 13 my dad and I went to a Father and Son Fishing Retreat in California. Hume Lake Christian Camp was amazing. It was there that I went boating, fished, and learned about who God is. It was there I gave my life to Christ. One verse that became a memory verse for me was John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
It’s that word “believe” that made all the difference.
- Because I believed, I waited for God to bring me his perfect choice for my wife.
- Because I believed, I trusted him with my future career.
- Because I believed, I let God dictate my finances.
- Because I believed, I’ve trusted him when things went differently than planned.
As I’ve counseled over the years, I’ve come to realize that our society doesn’t have a sin problem (that is merely a symptom), but rather a belief problem.
If you believe that God is out to ruin your fun instead of protecting you from harm, then you will engage in sexual immorality and drunkenness, and whatever else you think might be fun at the moment.
If you believe that God can’t meet all of your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus, then you will be anxious and feel hopeless while you are waiting on God’s provision.
If you believe that God is angry and didn’t die for your sins, then you will avoid a deep relationship with the God of heaven who loves you.
If you believe that trials are a sign that God abandoned you, instead of building perseverance and growing your faith, then you will look for a quick fix.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what we believe.
You see, people don’t always do what they say, but people always do what they believe.
You can look back on the fruit produced in your life and ask, “What did I believe?”
PT/LT
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