Someone, somewhere, posited that we use approximately 10% of our brain’s capacity. And should we access even an additional 5%, we would resolve a vast majority of the global relational issues that plague us. Sounds pie-in-the-sky to me, but I found that declaration fascinating to consider. Imagine! a mere 5% increase, and such an enormous result! Then again, as Christians, we have full, unlimited access to the mind of God – His power, His glory, His majesty – and His incredible love! Jesus encouraged his disciples with the good news that, should they pray believing, even mountains would be thrown into the sea! That’s quite a response to prayer, including ours! (I’ve not made any geographical alterations that I can point to). You?
We are living our lives some two thousand years after Jesus shared this information with his disciples, yet it would appear that there is a remaining gap between our ‘know’ and our ‘believe.’ I’m remembering the story of the father of the demon-possessed little boy. When Jesus told him healing was a component of believing, the father cried out, “I do believe but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24, NLT). Don’t we find ourselves often in a similar quandary? Don’t you, like me, often feel stuck between acquired and lofty Biblical truths and too-timid, too-earthbound, confidence? If so, could we be missing out on one of the most precious aspects of our life in Jesus?
Per Jesus, faith is a critical element for believing Redemption’s great swath of jaw-dropping promises. So, maybe the key is pressing in more and more to Jesus; flooding our spirits with his assurances, abandoning faith-dwindling negative talk, continuously giving up all hope of ever having a better past, paying attention to what we’re paying attention to, and waiting expectantly for his next directive. Is that the extra 5%? In any case, it’s: problem solved. PD
Don graduated from Regent University in 1988 and moved to France for seven years, coming back to the US briefly to marry Sue in 1990. The work in France included working in a Christian School and helping plant a church before returning in 1995. He’s been pastor of Peninsula Vineyard since 1999. He enjoys counseling, especially married couples, traveling back to France (with Sue), reading, doing Sudoku puzzles and sleuthing out good, dark chocolate. Don serves as the senior pastor of the Vineyard Church Peninsula, in Newport News, Virginia.