How do I live my life?
Am I a disappointment to my parents? My husband? My kids? My … God?
When I was young, I was very invested in not disappointing my parents. I knew from an early age that disappointing them meant punishment for me.
As I grew up, I came to see my parents for more than just people who wanted to make me conform to their rules. I began to see that the rules they imposed on me were there because they knew in their earthly wisdom what was best for me. Because they loved me. And I found that once again, I didn’t want to disappoint them, but for a different reason: I wanted to be worthy of their love. My desire to please them was rooted in my love for them.
What about God? Do we live to please Him? Or are we living in ways that will disappoint Him?
I didn’t know God when I was young. I knew of Him, and I knew that if I didn’t obey His rules I wouldn’t go to Heaven. I was afraid to disappoint Him because I didn’t want the punishment.
When I came to know the Lord and began working on a relationship with Him, I learned that His request for obedience was based in His love for me. He knows what will make me ultimately happy! And once again, I find that I don’t want to disappoint Him; but for a different reason! I want to be worthy of His love. My desire to please Him is rooted in my love for Him!
Yet I do disappoint Him. We all do, for: “…your wrongdoings have caused a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2 NASB); and, “…for all [a]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23 NASB)
I thank God for Jesus who has bridged the gap and brought reconciliation between man and God for anyone who believes in Him and accepts His sacrifice (see 2 Corinthians 5:18). But out of my love and respect for Him for all that He has done for me, I still don’t want to disappoint Him.
The Bible teaches us that it is by our faith that we please God (See Hebrews 11:6). Therefore, doesn’t it stand to reason, in our human minds, that if our faith pleases Him, then our lack of faith would displease Him?
This puts me in big trouble. You see, it is much easier to preach about having faith than to practice this in the face of trials. How often, then, have I not displeased my Lord and Saviour, the Lover of my soul, by failing to trust in Him?
As I was reading through Hebrews 11 the other day, verses 11 & 12 really struck a chord with me: “By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.Therefore even from one man, and one who was as good as dead at that, there were born descendants who were just as the stars of heaven in number, and as the innumerable grains of sand along the seashore.” (NASB).
Wait. Is this the same Sarah who pushed her husband to sleep with her handmaid because of her lack of faith in God’s promise to Abraham? Was this the same Abraham who, because of his focus on the impossibilities of the natural world, followed his wife’s advice? You mean that despite their blatant lack of faith, they are still commended for their faith?
How can this be?
Because God doesn’t require perfect faith! Jesus says that just a mustard seed of faith is enough (See Matthew 17:20)! There will be times when our faith will fail. God understands this. He knows we are weak (See Psalms 103:14). But even though we often fail, when we do demonstrate faith, we are rewarded, as the lives of Abraham and Sarah attest.
Because I love God and do not want to disappoint Him, my prayer is that of the disciples: “Increase our faith!” (Luke 17;5 NASB). It is the pray of the man whose son was delivered by Jesus from demons: “I do believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 NASB)
Prayer: Lord, increase our faith! Help our unbelief, that we may live lives that do not disappoint You. But Lord, when we fail, as we so often do, we take courage in the fact that You don’t punish us the way we deserve; rather, You reward even the tiniest demonstrations of our faith! We thank You Lord and we praise Your name!
In His love,
Lyn
Lynona Gordon Chaffart
Author, Moderator, Associate Director, Answers2Prayer Ministries
