Very often when we are going through tough times, we are told: “Just have faith.”  The statement does not clarify what to have faith IN.  It is also not just a feeling, it is the act of believing IN something.   It has a focus: we are believing in something, not just in anything that will find you a way out of your circumstances.  We as believers don’t believe in ourselves or other people, we believe IN GOD.

This implies that we have an understanding of His Nature and Character and have an EXPECTATION of Him.

There is a Somebody behind our faith, a Somebody greater than ourselves.

But when the going gets tough, we lose our joy in tough circumstances when God becomes smaller, less in control, less sovereign, less powerful. When our vision of Him gets dimmed because we are so busy looking at our circumstances.  You see, God has to become bigger than your gap, your situation, your problem, the people.  God has the resources: strength and power; knowledge and wisdom; opportunities and resources; guidance and direction; healing and comfort; forgiveness and acceptance; skill and ability; love and community; hope and courage; values and principles etc the list does not end.

God has not got smaller, our perspective of God has to change.

whos-your-daddyWe lose perspective when we fail to see the size of our God, the heart of our God in relation to what we are experiencing, our circumstances.  He is our “Daddy,” we are his children (1 John 3:1).  We often think our Daddy is smaller than our problem.

Do you know who your Daddy is?

  • His arm is not too short to undertake for you.  (Is 59:1 Is 50:1-3)
  • You are the apple of his eye, (Zech 2:7-9)
  • He protects you under his wing. (Ps 91:4)
  • He is waiting for an opportunity to bless you. (Is 30:18 AMP)
  • He knows your prayers before you say them (Ps 139:4; Matt 6:8)
  • He never leaves you, even when you run from Him, He is still with you. (Ps 139:7-12)
  • He goes ahead of you, prepares the way, because He has plans for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. (Jer 29:11; Ps 143:8; Is 30:21)
  • He works in your life to bring good out, even mistakes are redeemed. (Rom 8:28, Is 61:2-4)
  • He wants victory for you. (Rom 8:31;37.)
  • He’s made you the head and not the tail, always at the top, never at the bottom. Always winning, victorious, never losing! (Deut 28:13)

So I ask you, who is your Daddy?  When last did you make a list like the one above.

Sometimes it is not your situation that is the problem, it is the size of your God.

Scripture is there to correct our perspective of God, so that we see Him as he really is.  We seek scripture and truth during difficult times in order to have our perspective corrected, to be reminded about who our God is, what He is capable of and to understand the WHO it is that our faith is IN.  Scripture tells us the TRUTH ABOUT GOD!

A look at Psalm 23, put some perspective on my Daddy for me.  It is usually a psalm read at funerals, but it is actually a psalm about God’s provision for the living and it is based on His presence in our lives and who He actually is.  In the original Hebrew there are eight names of God mentioned in the psalm.

  1. Is my shepherd               Jehovah Roi (ro-ee)        The Lord is my Shepherd (Heb 13:20)

  2. I shall not want               Jehovah Jireh                   The Lord is my provision (Gen 22:14)

  3. Beside still waters          Jehovah Shalom               The Lord is my Peace (Judges 6:24)

  4. He restores my soul       Jehovah Ropheka            The Lord is my Healer (Ex 15:26)

  5. Paths of righteousness  Jehovah Tzidkenu            The Lord my Righteousness (Jer 33:16)

  6. You are with me             Jehovah Shamah              The Lord my companion, with me (Ez 48:35)

  7. In presence of enemy   Jehovah Nissi                     The Lord is my banner of victory (Ex 17:15)

  8. Anoint my head             Jehovah Mekkaddish        The Lord my sanctifier (Lev 20:8)

It is good to meditate on His names as listed in Psalm 23, it is a reminder that in the Lord we have everything we need.  Cultivating a right perspective of who our Daddy is, is refocusing our faith. According to Psalm 23, in Him we have rest; refreshment; repentance; guidance; companionship; comfort; sustenance; Joy; all in this life and eternity is ours.

In the Lord our provision for life is complete, perhaps our vision of Him is not.

So Paul tells us in Hebrews 12:1-3 to “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.”  When we refocus our perspective on who God is and not what our circumstances are, God becomes the right size. We refocus our perspective by spending time in the word, reminding ourselves who God is and what He has promised us.

Thank you Jehovah Shamah that You are always with me.  Help me to remember who You are Jehovah Roi, the one who looks after me, protects me and provides for me.  Thank you that You are putting my life back together Jehovah Ropheka and that I may know You Jehovah Nissi as I wait to see victory in the circumstances of my life.  Help me to embrace you Jehovah Shalom, to trust who You are and not to feel anxious.    You will lead me Jehovah Tzidkenu and provide for me Jehovah Jireh.  Thank you that I may know You as my personal LORD and savior, my Jehovah Mekkaddish.

Dad Already Knows

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