Proverbs 3:5-7

I find myself regularly looking at my faith and truly assessing how my relationship with Christ is. At times I find myself in an intimate vibrant relationship with God. At other times I am completely distant from God and incredibly weak in my faith. Then there is this strange "in between" area with regards to my walk with Christ. Its that time in our faith when we are complacent in our faith. I like to see it as "Fat and Happy Faith". It's that time in my life when things are going well enough so that I am not seeking God and I am simply happy with where my faith is. Unfortunately, this makes my faith stagnant, lukewarm and void of passion. God shook me out of one of these apathetic faith moments as I read Proverbs 3:5-7 ->

" Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Don't consider yourself to be wise; fear the LORD and turn away from evil."

After reading this Scripture God made it painfully evident where my trust was. I trusted in the provision of God...I did not trust Him in so many other areas of my life such as Him being my Counselor, my Hope, my Refuge, my Identity, my Redeemer, my Daddy. I look to God to grant me things. When I was in need I was broken and desperate. When I was showered with grace I was grateful and full of praise.

But the in between was the issue in my faith. If I was not desperate and if I was not being blessed beyond measure then I was simply content to wait for the next monumental faith moment in my life. I was harming my faith by pursuing God's gifts and not only God, my Redeemer and Father. I did not think about God in all of my ways...I only gave Him some consideration. I had a tendency to pursue a relationship with His Grace and not a relationship with the One who is my Father regardless of what I feel or experience.

It is the faith of Isaiah that I desire. Isaiah was a prophet to a people who for a time were apathetic and content towards God. When God's favor towards Israel began to dwindle, the people of Israel turned their backs to God and God answered with punishment. Yet all through the book of Isaiah, the prophet remains a steadfast man of God who seeks Him and constantly praises Him in spite of what Isaiah sees and experiences. Isaiah 64:7-8 ->

" No one calls on Your name, striving to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us and made us melt because of our iniquity. Yet LORD, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are our potter; we all are the work of Your hands."

Isaiah accepts that God can do whatever He desires because He is the one who forms us and shapes us. Even when favor dries up and I do not "experience" God in my life, He is still the One who created me, redeemed me and gave me purpose. That alone deserves my ever ready, unending trust. Even when life floats along as business as usual I should still rest in Him and call out to Him.

Job says it best when he speaks of what our pursuit of God should be:

"Even if He kills me, I will hope in Him."

Do not depend on life's circumstances to affect your faith. Trust God and rest in His character and truth.