Last August I spoke to a group of women at a local church for their annual women’s gathering. This verse served as the backdrop for our time together.

“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Luke 1:45 ESV

What a powerful verse. Simple, straightforward, faith-filled.

I knew the verse held special meaning for us as daughters of a loving, merciful God. But I didn’t know it would soon speak to me in a very real and personal way.

The Power of This One Word

Since that night, one word from this verse kept showing up in my daily life. I began seeing it everywhere, and that’s prompted me to dig deeper into its importance. That one word is this...

Believe.

I didn’t realize soon after that ladies’ event how desperately I would need to hold onto the word believe. Because certain life circumstances can leave us out of options. Realizing our own strength isn’t enough. Knowing we need a better way than to rely on ourselves.

“Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” John 20:29 ESV

We all know how hard it is to believe everything will be alright when we can’t foresee a good outcome. That’s the essence of our faith. We choose to believe, even when we can’t see God at work.

But have you ever noticed how it’s easier to believe in some situations more than others? I can stand firm on God’s promise to heal my illness, but waver in whether or not He will work a miracle in the life of a loved one. I can know without a doubt God will never leave me or forsake me, yet still at times be overwhelmed by fear. So what’s the difference? Why can I be confident in one situation and so uncertain in another?

Because I haven’t yet grasped the power of the word believe.

In the past, I’ve been guilty of assigning levels to life’s hardships. Each level of difficulty would determine whether I believed God could work in my circumstances. Then I sensed a life-changing question in my spirit:

Is God more capable in one situation than another? Or do I believe He is able in ALL things?

Therein lies the answer. We must determine our willingness to believe.

Believing means whatever level of hardship we face, we trust that God is able. (Tweet this.)

What is the Biblical Meaning of Believe?

God can provide peace in our everyday ups and downs, and still calm our deepest fears. God can change the life of someone precious to us, and He can also heal us. There is no limit to His power and no end to His unfailing love.

What do you need to believe God for right now? Maybe it’s the reconciliation of a broken relationship or a financial miracle. Maybe you need a definite yes or no answer, a door to open or close. Whatever the need, let’s stand together in belief.

So whatever level of struggle you are dealing with today, don’t take another step forward in your own strength. Pause, breathe and choose to believe. It’s when we can’t see God working that we learn to trust Him the most.

God will fulfill His promise. Just believe.

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Kicking back in a lounge chair at the water park, I sat watching with the other young moms. I smiled with satisfaction at the clever design of this place. Moms could relax and still see their little ones splashing, exploring, and making friends. All the while staying close enough to hop up and run to the rescue in the event of an emergency.

I settled in for a fun-filled day in the sun with my youngster. But I never would’ve expected what happened next.

Two women walked up to my six year old. The way they stood over him and looked down with scowling faces told me this was not good. I sat stunned, not believing my eyes. So as soon as I broke free from the initial shock, I gathered my composure and headed toward the altercation.

By the time I reached my boy, the women had marched back to their chairs. I asked him what they said. Apparently he’d squirted a water blaster at a girl while playing on the makeshift pirate ship, and she was upset. My first thought was, “It’s a water park. What do you expect?”

Then my second thought was, “How do I handle this situation?”

My Mama Bear blood boiled. But I hesitated to confront them because I feared it would turn into a big ordeal. More than anything, I didn’t want it to ruin our day. I just wanted to enjoy time with my boy. So what to do??

“How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands. Their children will be successful everywhere; an entire generation of godly people will be blessed.” Psalm 112:1-2 NLT

So many times as a mom I try to mold my child’s circumstances rather than letting those circumstances shape who God wants him to become.

Today’s verse reminds me that I can be joyful all the time because my delight is in the Lord. Even in times of turmoil. I don’t need to worry about these little bumps in the road for my child. As long as I keep my delight in the Lord, He will guide my child’s steps.

With my mind swirling around the abrupt interruption to an otherwise beautiful day, I noticed something astounding. In the midst of my confusion over what to do, my son had already forgotten about the whole thing. He was off making new friends and embarking on new pirate adventures.

The waterpark incident was one of many times I fretted over how to ‘do this parenting thing right’. But over the years I’ve seen how God uses those difficult circumstances to strengthen and develop him. Today our boy’s a young adult, and sometimes I still fall into the trap of trying to control the outcome of his experiences. So when I’m tempted to fret over struggles that come his way, I can remember this. God doesn’t have anything less than His very best plans for my kids.

It may not look anything like what I envision, and that’s okay. God’s way is always best.

Blessings,

Kristine