Please Be Seated

As you read this post, I hope you are comfortable in your chair or couch or bed, etc.

It feels nice when you enter someone's home and they utter these words that makes one feel comfortable... "Please be seated" or in a public gathering where the audience awaits the emcee to direct them to take their seats. When you actually think about it, lot of our time is spent sitting. Sitting to... do our devotions, reading, working, relaxing, chatting, on 'the throne' of our restrooms (ah gross eh) and so on...
In a crowd, its interesting to observe how people sit down. Some find a vacant spot and just drop themselves on it. Others are very cautious, checking to see if they are sitting on something. The hygiene fanatics go crazy about ensuring the cleanliness of the seat. Every iota of dust is dusted off. Some are the hesitant ones who sit down nervously, others confidently leaning back, stretching themselves while others sit on the edge of their seats.
Very rarely will you find people who check whether every leg of the chair is intact and sturdy. Even more rarer is to see someone examine and analyze a chair before sitting on it. Most feel an urge to sit, find a chair and just plainly sit down without ever examining the condition or the sturdiness of the chair.

Yet, when we bring our needs and petitions to our God, we start doubting. When we sit down we don't doubt the chair's strength or ability to hold us, but... we doubt whether God Almighty... can still carry us through our difficulties. The Bible says..."Ask and believe that you received it" (Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24). We stop at the first stage, 'the asking part' but we forget the second part 'believe that you received it'. Instead we find 'backup' plans... "if this doesn't workout then I will do that". Having a 'backup' plan is like placing your right leg forward while still holding back the left leg to support you just in case you fell.

When will we stop advising and suggesting God to do something the way we want or think it needs to be done ? When will we release ourselves completely onto Him and have boundless FAITH that no matter what happens, He'll always hold our best interest at heart ? Our boundless confidence on the chair never makes us doubt it's ability, but our lack of FAITH in God leads to constant doubts resulting in unanswered prayers. Examine your FAITH. Ask Him to forgive you for doubting and ask His help to trust Him more.

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11 : 24)