How big is my God?

 

(A long to-do list and a late meeting = forgetting to post this last night. It is for May 17. Sorry.)

Today’s devotional offers this first line: “Pessimism will blind you to the sufficiency of God’s resources.” The explanation is commonly known: an optimist sees a glass half full, while a pessimist sees it half empty. In other words, one sees opportunities and the other sees obstacles.

In the kingdom of God, a song describes these attitudes this way: “When all I see is the battle, You see my victory. When all I see is the mountain, You see a mountain moved.” For me, pessimism is lack of faith in God while optimism is the attitude that nothing is too difficult for Him.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20–21)

One translation says, “He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or imagine.” One NT illustration is Philip. Jesus was teaching thousands and as night came, they were hungry. Jesus asked Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?” This disciple replied, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for every one to receive a little.” In pessimism, his thought was, We don’t have enough resources in our whole savings account to buy enough food for a group this size! Lack of faith makes all things too difficult, even with God in our midst.

However, this was merely a test which Philip should have passed. He’d seen water turned to wine but like most of us, quickly forgot the glimpse he’d experienced of God’s power. He soon saw it again when Jesus took five barley loaves and two fish and fed the crowd.

I can be like Philip. What helps me is asking myself, How big is my God? MacArthur says we all have times when pessimism robs us of seeing Him move mountains. I tend to call it ‘lack of faith’ rather than pessimism. God is not stumped by the obstacles that stump me. His grace and power are sufficient for all issues and problems.

What I do notice is it is not only the ‘size’ of God that gets forgotten, but His purpose. He says in Romans 8:28-29 that He uses ALL things in my life to transform me into the likeness of His Son. Humanly, I tend to think that trusting God will mean total comfort and prosperity, but how often do those goals conflict with reality. No Christian should try to pray trials away when the Word of God says this:

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2–4)

Seeing trials as dreadful things is not pessimism; it is lack of faith in God who is using them for my good! Optimism is realizing the goodness of God in making me “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works” (Ephesians 2:10) and using trials as His tools for that process.

I cannot claim to be joyful when troubles come, but He is teaching me to confess my lack of faith as sin. Instead, He wants me to turn to Him with thanksgiving, realizing that even when I cannot see what He is doing, He has a far better outcome for my life and my outlook on life than I have now. I need to hang in there, pray for grace and strength, and choose patient steadfast over pleading with Him to put down His tools and leave me the way I am.

PRAY: Lord, forgive my grumbling and lack of faith when life hands me sour grapes. Enable me to evaluate who is in charge and rejoice that You never fail and You never stop loving me and wanting the best for me — even when that best is uncomfortable or not what I would have picked. You are a big God, able to do more than I will ever imagine. That ought to bring rejoicing to my heart and praise to my lips, and certainly take my focus off the problems and replace the poor me that so easily arrives with that extraordinary joy that only You can give.

RECALL: Read Numbers 13-14. What did ten of the spies report? How did the two others tell what they saw? Which ones did the people believe? In 14:11, how did God diagnose their problem? What did Moses do? What happened after that?