a gentle whisper

for if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. -- 2 corinthians 8:12

over the last week, God was continually dealing with my sense of inadequacy. how when something doesn't work out, it has to be surely because i'm not good enough. i know it's not the case most times but all my life, that mantra has been drilled into me first by my parents and then later in my teens, by the people around me in school -- teachers and schoolmates alike.

pastor daniel talked about the attitude of faith at service on saturday. he used the example of daniel in the Bible and his recent experience in iran to bring across his point that God has a purpose for putting us in situations of great adversity. that it is a hallmark of maturity if we are able to acknowledge that situations of adversity are opportunities to rise up and exercise faith. that sometimes, it is better not to keep consciously avoid such situations.

but the thing that struck me was the reminder that faith is not a feeling -- faith is an action. faith is acting out what you believe. and how when we act, we act in humility. acknowledging that the ability to act out our faith comes from God himself.

that if i hold myself back from acting upon my faith just because i think i am not good enough, i am really missing the point. that was God's gentle whisper to me for the day.