What does it take for something to be contaminated? If I have a bottle of water and put in a few drops of anti-freeze and offer it to you, would YOU drink it? NO WAY! It only takes a little bit of the wrong thing the mess up the batch.

FEAR tolerated is faith contaminated.

The enemy comes in and tries to contaminate our faith with seeds of doubt by planting little thoughts like, “You never know what God is going to do!” That type of thinking causes us to keep our eyes on the problem instead of the promise.

Doubt causes our faith to become ineffective according to James 4. Our faith becomes contaminated and ineffective because when we worry and stay awake and obsess over the problem, we are putting more faith in the problems ability to destroy than we are God’s ability to deliver and that ties the hands of God.

And get this. Like me, have you ever decided that you need to step in and help God? Speed up the solution? Hire the attorney? Tell the person off? Make that answer happen like when Abraham and Sarah decided to have a baby through Hagar instead of waiting on God to give them a baby? The answer is YES. Yes you have because you’re human.

When we take matters into our own hands instead of waiting on God, we are actually putting more faith in our ability to handle it and our wisdom than we are His. DOOHHH! I feel like Homer Simpson when I realize that. (a little throw back there – and comic relief since these last two realizations probably stung a little bit).

When we put our faith in us because we fear God isn’t handling it fast enough or when we let fear keep our eyes on the problem therefore placing our faith there – we hit the pause button on God’s ability to work on the situation.

THAT is a problem. We have to purposefully place our faith/trust/belief in God’s concrete and undeniable ability and willingness to handle the situation on our behalf regardless of what things look like at the moment.

God can handle our problem
And our neighbor’s problem.
And our Mama’s problem.
And our children’s problem.
And our coworker’s problem.
And all the problems in China.
Without even breathing heavy.

Is fear trying to get your attention and break your flow of faith? Say this with me out loud:

“I am not moved by what I see. I am moved by God. He loves me. His son died for me. His grace and mercy abound for me. He created me intentionally and has a plan for my life that is above my expectation and gives hope for an abundant future no matter what the circumstances say!”
(Jer 29:11, Jer 1:5, Eph 3:20, 2 Corin 12:9, Eph 2:10).