Faith. If we had enough faith, we could move a mountain. Really? Always?
I'm going to ask a hypothetical question and then tell you the story and see if your answer is different when it's Hypothetical versus when it's Real. I think it will be for most of you. Be honest now.
Hypothetical situation ... you're faced with a decision.
You say "Yes" : requires great faith. God will have to interevene. God will have to move a mountain. Or the consequences are dire. You throw all your faith in and say, Whatever it is, God can handle it. You trust God to pull off the miracle.
You say "No": is it a lack of faith? or is it wisdom? Because God might not intervene.
Do you say Yes or No?
If you're a Christian, my guess is that most of you would say YES to my hypothetical situation. You'd say Go for it and trust God. You'd say I should stand on faith and do it.
So let me tell you the situation. 3 days ago, we were presented with a potential adoption situation. A little baby boy (under a year) with some special needs. The initial needs didn't scare me off so we considered it. (A know a few of you are ALREADY thinking ... "what the heck are they thinking".) We got the medicals and there is a possible life threatening situation. As in ... he might not live to see the age of 3 or he might live to 10 but no one with this condition lives to 20.
So now does THAT change your answer about faith?
I know to the core of my being that God is a healer. That He is capable of healing. That He could pull off this divine miracle and heal this child and he could live a full long life.
I also know that sometimes God says, "No". And has other purposes and plans for lives. I know too many people of God who have lost children way too early to be blinded to the fact that God sometimes has a different purpose and way of looking at things.
So if say "No" to adopting this baby, do I have a lack of faith?
We've already made our decision ... I just want to use this situation as a way for us to question deeper, to wrestle with some of the more difficult decisions of life.
Depends on if I feel that God is leading me to this....
ReplyDeleteTroy and I are on different pages on this topic, more like different books! (We've discussed this hypothetically for ourselves before.) I say to go for it. Either way, if you're obeying God, you "win." If the child is healed, to witness and be a part of that testimony would be amazing... If not, then I would suffer the pain of losing the child if it meant that that child had a family, someone to love him, someone to point him to God. But I also think there is God has blessing in pain. Our life as Christians is not to remain comfortable. There are times of rest, but I think our trials bring us closer to Him, cause us to rely on Him. He will meet us there and what greater blessing is there than to be as close to our Father as possible...
Can't wait to hear the rest!
Oh and I sort of said it above but probably didn't answer it clearly. Do I think saying "no" shows you lack faith? If you're going against a clear directive of God...yes. But we also have to know when God is saying "no" to us. You may not be the family He has chosen. So it depends on your reason for saying no...
ReplyDeleteI was getting ready to post a reply when I read what Charlene posted above (both posts) I could not have said it better.
ReplyDeleteTomorrow is not guarenteed to any of us, you could loose one of the children you already have tomorrow, does that mean that the love you have shown then for the past years was in vain or wasted, absolutely not! I say, if you feel the LORD is telling you to adopt a child with a definative questionable life expentency then go for it, if it is just your heart for orphans that wants to help this child that's different. Stepping out in faith is NEVER easy but always worth it!!!!!
Perhaps this is more about God having faith in you. That you could be the blessing for this child. Or, perhaps He is using you as a path to find the family the child is supposed to have. EIther way, you have been chosen to help this child. Imagine the faith God has in you!
ReplyDeleteI am coming in late. FIrst, CONGRATS! For me, I totally understand that I could lose one of my kids tomorrow, I have. My oldest has been gone just over 4 years. I would say no. I hope that does not make me horrible. I think it makes me "honest". I have endured the death of a child and understand that life offers no guarantees but I would not knowingly put myself in that situation. I just can't, not after what I have already gone through. I wish you the very best with your new little one!!!!
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