Bigger Belief

At last week's Parish group (small group, life group...insert Bible belt reference here) with Christ Community Church, we discussed surface sins and heart idols. When it comes down to it, our "surface sins" often are acted out of an inner heart idol, or the worshipping of something other than Christ. An example we gave was gossiping. Talking about people behind their backs is a sin, but why do you gossip? For some people, it's their own insecurities... so therefore they aren't believing that they are Christ's beautiful creation and they care more about what they think than what Christ thinks about them... therefore in the deepest darkest part of their heart- they love themselves more than the Creator. Some other ways to trigger what your heart idols are to ask yourself what you fear the most...what you trust the most...what you love the most. For me, I fear the unknown- I fear the "what if something doesn't go as I planned"... "what if something bad happens"....therefore I'm not believing the Lord when He says, "I have a plan for you. A plan to prosper and not to harm you, a plan to give you a hope and a future." in Jeremiah. Therefore I trust myself, and my abilities more than I trust the Lord who knows every hair on my head. It just seems silly when we lay it out like that. But the logical, sinful, human side of our brain and our hearts- can't comprehend that. It doesn't matter how many sticky notes I put on my mirror with Bible verses on them.... I know what the Bible says... it has to go deeper. It has to go from knowledge to belief. And that is something that no sticky note can do. The Lord has to come in and expand our belief- and that will only happen if we ask Him for it. Even as I sit here typing this, my mind can't get around the idea of believing bigger. So this week- and for the rest of your life- pray for bigger belief. Pray against your human logic, pray against fixing things yourself, pray against forgetfulness... and pray for the only cure for our heart idols- bigger belief in the Almighty that rules over all.