Faith and Prayer(Or Post of Twos)

Hebrews 11:6-”And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

I read this verse over my early morning breakfast(Not to be confused with second breakfast. Second breakfast happens during a 15 minute break at work.) and I was spiritually backhanded to the face… For two reasons.

1. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists...”

In order to please God you must do these two things… first believe that he exists. Say whaaaaa? I never reflect on the fact that it pleases God that I simply acknowledge his existence.

2. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

Yesterday I was praying on the way to work(after breakfast but before second breakfast) and I was praying for my friends and making a monumental step in my relationship with God. As I was praying I found myself asking God for two things. One unselfish and the other quite selfish. This selfish request has been an idol in my heart for the majority of my life. In praying I quoted the above verse(not knowing where it was found) and almost jabbed my finger in God’s chest “You promised!…..”

And in that moment my heart softened and I found myself praying “But God, if I had to give up this selfish desire that you might be glorified in the unselfish…. I would be totally cool with that.”

And in that moment one more idol was torn down in the heart of Grace Menter.

So this morning when I read that verse my mind went automatically back to my hasty, desperate, pleading prayer that was trying to cheat God out of a blessing…. And a profound question was raised in my mind.

Do I believe that God rewards those who earnestly seek him?

Not only this but it says that without faith that God does such it’s impossible to please him! I was pleading in the car and at that point God was probably like “Why are you begging? I’m insulted that you feel like you have to ask twice. I am not amused. You should know that I want to give you these things. Why don’t you know this?”

So often I come to God and I’m like “God you can do this so you should! Because you should!” when, if I’m interpreting correctly, I should be coming with a different kind of confidence: the confidence of right relationship. Like a kid would ask a favor from their dad. “God, I know that we are locked in a relationship centered around mutual earnest pursuit and because of this I know that you want to give me something nice. Like maybe some diamonds or something. Well can I hint about what I want?”

And the great part is that God rewards himself and rewards me at the same time because when you are locked in earnest pursuit your desires become the same as those of the one you are pursuing.

Holy double win, batman!