Proof

“Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭38‬ (‭KJV‬‬)

We look for signs everywhere telling us what to do, where to go, what to speak…we want proof we are going right.

Proof is an interesting concept. 

Elisha spoke to the king and said what things would come to pass; one of the king’s servants didn’t believe. He said (in my words) let there be windows in heaven so we can see what is to come. Elisha answered him that not only would it be, he would see, but not enjoy what was to come. The man died the next day, after seeing the things come to pass. 

In Matthew chapter 12, Jesus responds to the scribes and Pharisees with several accounts of the same situation where the person requests a sign. So, it’s not a new concept that we mortals want signs. Wasn’t it Gideon who asked for proof that he was speaking with an angel of the Lord? 

Some of our requests for proof may be justified, while others are not. We want to make undoubtedly sure we are following the command of the Lord. But sometimes we don’t have the faith to believe that what He says will happen will actually happen. 

That’s the devil. He tries to instill doubt in our hearts and minds to drive a wedge. And oh is he cunning. 

We say we trust that everything works for our good, but we question the way it will work.  Not only that, we think we need proof that it will work. Like we think we need a glimpse into the future to know it does work out. But look back in the Bible and just how many times did it work out for those who needed that glimpse? Noah,  Abraham, Jacob, David, Jonah, Ruth, Deborah, Hannah…the list is endless just in the Old Testament alone of those who trusted without having proof. That’s faith. 

If you were guaranteed something at a certain point regardless of where you were at that point, how would you live? That’s what hope does…hope keeps you from straying. Faith, faith keeps you going. There will always be times when your resolve fades a bit, and that’s when you reach out and reach up. Prayer. Pray for your wants, but pray for His will and if your wants and His will don’t align, back away from your wants. It is written, David loved the Lord with all of his heart and never turned from the way EXCEPT in the case of Bathsheba…David lost his son because of that. His want didn’t align with God’s will. What are we losing by forcing our wants over His will? Things happen and we question the why, but we don’t see the whole picture. We focus on self and where we want to be in five years, ten years, not realizing that God knows where we will be and how many people will be impacted by us along the way. We forget that God is using us in our situations because we forget that He is the reason we are here. 

Lord, increase my faith and help me to want Your will without proof because Your will is beyond my comprehension and better than I could imagine.