Pack Your Umbrella

Scenario: On Thursday, the forecast shows 100% chances of rain for this Saturday. You are planning to have a birthday party out at the local park. What do you do? You could cancel the party. You could start cleaning the inside of your house assuming the party will be moved inside. Or you could still plan on going to the park, but pack your umbrella. Either way, for the next few days you will probably be watching the weather. Even if it is currently 100% sunny you would still trust the forecast and plan accordingly. We had a similar situation, except it actually happened and instead of rain it was ice….

Back in December, we were supposed to go to Palm Springs. Our flight was to leave Friday morning, but the week leading up to the trip the news and weathermen were talking about the upcoming ice storm we were to get in Dallas. By Thursday morning, I decided to call the airline to see if we could fly out on Thursday. Apparently, everyone else had the same idea, as there were no flights available. Keep in mind at this point, there was no sign of precipitation. I don’t quite remember, but being typical Dallas weather it could have still been 70 degrees at this point. There was no ice yet, but we were told it was coming. So people started preparing. Schools and businesses started shutting down on Thursday in anticipation of the storm on Friday. The food and water at local groceries were wiped out. Pipes and plants were covered and everyone assumed they would be inside for days. There was a lot of preparation for something we couldn’t see or hadn’t even happened yet.

Isn’t this what faith looks like? Faith is making decisions based on what God says prior to what He does. Faith demands you operate on it before you see it. Hebrews 11:1 says “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”  So even if you don’t see the rain or storm coming, you might try to change your flight, move venues for the upcoming party, or prepare by packing your umbrella. Isn’t it amazing how even if it’s perfectly sunny, but the forecast said 100% chance of participation, we would pack an umbrella all because of what a weatherman said? How can we apply this same concept, walking by faith, to our everyday life?

“Faith is acting like it is so, even when it is not so, in order that it might be so, simply because God said so.” – Tony Evans

What are you believing in faith for? If you already have it or can see it, it’s not faith. If you are believing in faith for a baby, what are doing in action to prepare for being a parent? Are you getting a nursery ready? Paying off debt and saving for the new baby purchases you will have? Discussing names with your spouse? Eating right and taking care of your body? Aren’t we supposed to do these things as if what we are believing for is going to happen. Isn’t that what faith is? The list could go on and on and doesn’t just apply to a baby. It could be a spouse, a house, a new job, financial breakthrough, healing, a restored relationship, etc.

Preparing ourselves for the fulfillment of God’s promises, however unlikely they may seem, demonstrates our faith. 

So pack your umbrella and join me in believing in faith for whatever it is that you are waiting for.

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