The Sin of Disbelief - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) January 16, 2024

Have you ever witnessed the mighty hand of God? Maybe you saw a miracle happen for someone. Or have you experienced something that can only be attributed to the Lord?

If you answered 'yes' to any of those questions then pay close attention to the following words - Be careful to not commit the Sin of Disbelief.

The Sin of Disbelief applies to a particular type of person - someone to whom God has shown His power and might. This is a man or woman who has had experience with the Lord and His capacity to save. Despite this, such a person buckles under the weight of life's challenges forgetting that the God who helped them the last time is more than able to do so again. As such, in their time of trouble, they reject Him and rely instead on false gods, idols, another person or even themself.

It's quite easy to make this mistake. When a challenge arises and as the clock ticks down, it is unfortunately commonplace for many to worry that the Lord won't step into the situation. Frightened and confused, the person neglects to pray, flying into action instead. Another scenario could be that someone forgets that the Lord promised to solve their problem. Thus as a deadline looms, they think things over and can't imagine how God could take care of the issue. They opt to handle the matter, without waiting to see how God could have fulfilled His promise.

​Most of us have committed this sin at some point or another. Previous disappointments and failures color the lens through which we look at things and this can hamper our faith. Still, it is essential to become aware of the Sin of Disbelief because God takes it seriously. It hurts Him especially because He has proven Himself faithful and will remain faithful, regardless of whether we are (2 Timothy 2:13). Cooperating with the Lord will thereby help us to not repeat the error of our ways. Being aware of this sin is also important because Jesus described such disbelief as akin to hatred in John 15:24 - If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father.

Long before Jesus pointed to this form of hatred, God had mentioned it in Numbers 14:11, saying, The LORD said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?

Therefore, we need to pay close attention to our thoughts and our actions. We have to learn how to slow down and apply our faith in the tough moments of life. For those of us who have been blessed to see God's miracles, we need to ask ourselves whether we are treating Him with contempt. Does our constant disbelief actually qualify as hatred toward Him?

King Asa committed the Sin of Disbelief when despite previously seeing God miraculously defeat his enemies, he opted to rely on his intelligence the next time he needed victory against a military foe. His experience is a lesson to us all to not make the same error. We must remember that God shows us His power and allows us to witness miracles so we grow in faith. He shows us His capacity to solve our problems so we understand His faithfulness. He does one great thing at a time so we increasingly apply our faith in Him instead of turning elsewhere for solutions.

We therefore need to submit to this progressive training and allow the Lord to build up our faith muscles so we flex them in times of challenge. Seeking and paying attention to the testimonies of others can help in this regard. In addition, keeping track of how God has blessed us, while regularly reviewing those miracles, is also key. We cannot afford to forget how faithful the Lord is because when we do, the devil uses that opportunity to attack us with anxiety, doubt, and fear. In those instances, our discernment and faith fly out the window allowing negativity to reign in our hearts and minds. Thankfully, we serve a merciful God who will steer us to grow in faith so we don't fall into this sin but instead terrify hell with our commitment to the Kingdom.

The Lord will help each of us to remember that the Sin of Disbelief means contempt and hatred for God. He will teach us not to be among those who succumb guiding us to be steadfast in trusting Him. By His grace, we will not reject God or His Son, IJMN Amen.