Faith comes

Romans 10:1717 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ

When I turn on the faucet in my kitchen I have faith that water will come out of it. But not just any water clear healthy to drink water. I have faith in my water supply but sadly most days I have more faith in my water system them my God. Being chronically ill will test your faith, Dare I say it would test the Popes faith. 

   So how does one find faith? What is faith? It is believing without seeing. Stepping out before you see the ground to hold you. Its praying in thanksgiving over food you don't yet. My Father tells a story of this early collage years. The school was a small faith based bible collage. All the students enters the dining hall for their evening meal only to find there was for food for them to eat. My Father started to count the change in his pocket to see if he could go by a burger. One of the Teachers asked a young man to pray over their evening meal. My Dad stood in disbelief shaking his head. You people are crazy praying for food we don't have any food! Can't you see we have no food! The obedient student took on the task and begin to pray in thanksgiving for Gods provisions for them. I am sure my Father was not alone in thinking these people are nuts! I am sure most were thinking, Lets see if between all of us we can buy a couple of pizzas. Just as the young man  finished Grace a farmer pulled in with a truck load of potatoes to give the collage. My Father learned a important lesson that night. Faith is not something we can built up in a moment of need. But rather a tool we learn by being in relationship with Jesus. My Fathers teacher knew who to call on for help. She knew who to trust. Now that was 45 plus years ago my Father since than has learned the lesson of faith. But like so many he did not know how faith worked. He was blessed with many good teachers who taught him about faith. A lesson him and my Mother have pasted down to us kids. We have lived by faith, most of my childhood was lived by faith. Not knowing where our next meal was coming from or some days where we would be sleeping. How do you learn to live by faith? How can people call for help if they don’t know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven’t heard of the One who can be trusted?
   The only way you can believe in God is to hear from His word and without a word from God you have no basis for faith.  So much of being chronically ill is trying to stay positive in dark days. We struggle with physical and mental state and just trying to pay bills and feed our families.Without faith I know for myself I would be engulfed into a pit of darkness most days. Every pain clinic I have been a part of use speaks about finding tools for mindfulness meditation interventions to help manage pain and stress in your body. I have a set of tools I use but they don't look anything like what the pain clinic gave me. I intake Gods word, meditate on it. I turn off all the lights  lay flat on my bed turn on worship or a sermon. When depression and hopelessness of Elhers Danlos creep into my mind and body, when the pain is so bad all I can do is lay in bed, I have faith. Not because it rises out of the dust but because I know who to trust. One of the most important lessons I have learned is I can never stop building my faith.  The intake of Gods word is the greatest tool I have in my pain management tool box.  Now I must admit that most days I try everything else before I turn to it.
    Does that mean we should forget modern medications? NOPE! God gave us those tools to use to manage life with. From medications we take to manage the chemicals and balance ion our brains or level out our blood sugar. Don't think for a moment I am saying replace what the Dr has told you to do to live the best healthy life with daily  bible reading.

  Matthew 4:4 says But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ 

     What was Jesus saying? Bread is good but Bread is not enough! We need the word of God to live healthy life! One thing I can not control is my health. Elhers Danlos controls that. As I write this I have tendinitis in my right arm and now I am pretty sure my left arm as well. I have occupational Therapy in a couple weeks and already had injection to help the inflammation.  I can do things to help manage it but I have no control over the fact that my limbs and joints move to much. That is out of my hands. But one thing I can control is my spiritual health and well-being. My faith is in my grips, I get to control the intake of Gods word in my life. Faith comes when I listen to God. If you are lacking faith today what voice are you listening to?