The Proof is in Our Faith

CWO Quote for the week of October 5, 2007

"We are not built for the mountains and the dawns and aesthetic affinities, those are for moments of inspiration, that is all. We are built for the valley, for the ordinary stuff we are in, and that is where we have to prove our mettle."~ Oswald Chamber~

In the building industry in order to make houses durable they are specially built to handle the environment around them. Depending on the weather elements some are built to withstand rain or snow. Others are made to survive extreme heat, strong winds, hurricanes, tornados, and other forces of nature. The human race is no different. God designed us to be built for the valley experiences. He knew the soil of those valley experiences we walk through is where our faith is going to grow its best and endure the longest.

It is here that we are built to withstand the weather elements brought on by life itself requiring proof of our mettle (courage, guts, grit or determination). Looking up the word courage in the Bible I found several references that link courage to the word “strong.” If you think about it they definitely go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. Be strong and courageous they firmly endorse.

Foolishly we think sometimes we have to prove how strong and courageous we are by rolling up our sleeves and flexing our spiritual muscle. Hoping for a compliment regarding its strength as we put it on display to those around us. We act as if we were kids once again showing off our tiny muscles to anyone willing to participate in our silliness. We find ourselves doing things we shouldn’t simply to prove to others as well as ourselves that we aren’t really cowards.

The best way to prove our mettle is during the times when courage is needed the most. The proof is in the way we travel through these valleys. The proof is in our faith. I have to confess there have been times that I felt like the cowardly lion in the Wizard of Oz. The minute I hit certain valleys or ran into particular obstacles I started to tremble in my spirit shouting out, “I do believe in spooks, I do believe in spooks.”

I found myself jumping at the slightest sound or movement even when it was only me, figuratively speaking, pulling my own tail. Creating in my mind, my own things I thought I should be afraid of. I was allowing Satan’s tactics to finally get to me. A behavior quickly corrected but unfortunately not before being repeated.

It’s important that we know in our hearts that Satan is the one that needs to be trembling. Trembling at the sight of our faith, trembling at the sound of our courage, trembling at the aroma of our trust in our Lord and Savior.

As 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (NKJV) Faith in Jesus as well as faith in ourselves knowing we can be strong even at our weakest moments. Especially when it’s Jesus’ power we are running off of. The only thing that should be between Satan and us is distance never fear. The choice is ours on whether we are going to be afraid of our enemy or stand up to him using the tools God has provided for us in His Holy Word. Enjoying daily our journey of looking for the mountaintops while learning through the valleys.

CLOSING THOUGHT: No matter what our views of the mountain experience may be there is one truth that remains. The fact that the time of our greatest learning and growth is done in the valley of the ordinary stuff we are in. It is there where our courage or mettle is often tried, tested, and proven. Instead of spending all of our life proving we aren’t cowards, let us live our lives in a manner that improves our courage. The proof is in our faith.


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