When My Faith Seems Small

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When My Faith Seems Small

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio
 

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see. 

 

I have faith in chairs, that when I sit in them they will hold me up. I have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow. I have faith that Mt.Rainier is still there on cloudy days when I can't see it looming over the Western Washington landscape.

Do I have faith to believe that God's promises in His word are true? Beyond that do I have faith to believe the things He has spoken to me in my quiet time with Him? Do I really trust him like Abraham even when every circumstance seems to shout the very opposite of what God has said?   I do - I'm not saying I don't have days when doubts creep in and my faith seems very small - I do. We all have those days.  I want to share some of the things that I do on days when my faith seems small. 

 

I Spend Time With Jesus: The first place you will find me is at the feet of Jesus. I lay it all out before the Lord. He already knows the condition of my heart and I ask like the father in Mark 9:24b
 “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

 

I Remember: I remember the mercies and the goodness of the Lord. I make a point to tell others on those days about some time that the Lord has helped me in the past. In Revelation 12:11 "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." The word of your testimony is a powerful weapon by which we overcome the enemy. 

 

I Use My Weapons: I  remember 2 Corinthians 10:4 -5 "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. ⁵ We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." We have already been given powerful weapons for demolishing the strongholds in our lives and in the lives of others. If I know the Word then I will know when an argument is setting itself up against the knowledge of God. The more of the Word I have in me the less likely I am to sin against God. Psalm 119:11 is a good case for Bible memory. It say's "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you". Now I have some friends who really work at Bible memory, they practice in their spare time and they have many passages memorized word for word. I am not very good at memorizing. I may not be able to quote word for word, or give you chapter and verse but the Word is in me. For example just in writing this devotional post I am able to remember key words and concepts so that when I can quickly find the verses that I want to use. I have may not have spent time consciously memorizing, but I have spent lots and lots of time reading the Word. I have spent lots of time singing the Word. God wired me in such a way that allows me to remember things that have been set to music. We all have little tricks that help us remember the things we want to remember. My point is that knowing the Word is a powerful weapon against the enemy. 

 

I Stand on the Word: As I am praying and seeking the Lord often I will come across a verse that jumps out and speaks deeply to me in some way. That becomes a Word that I begin to stand on. It is like it jumped out just for me. We are promised that the Holy Spirit will teach us in John 14:26  "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." Those words I often put on 3x5 cards and carry in my pocket or I post it places where I will see them and be reminded. 

 

I Ponder: There are things that I don't know how or when God will work out - I just know that He will. I remember that He is able.  They are for me like money in the bank. I know it will be there when I need it in the future. I am making faith deposits for the future in the little steps of faith I take today.   I don't generally tell anyone those private things that God has spoken to me. Like Mary I take those things and treasure them or ponder them. Luke 2:19 says "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." I often journal those things so that when they do happen - I have created yet another testimony that will help me with things in the future. 

 

I hope that these little tips are helpful. This is certainly not an exhaustive list but these are some of the ways that I build myself up. 

Oh one last thing...

 

I pray in the Spirit - I don't always know how to pray but I trust that the Holy Spirit knows the mind of the Father and is able to pray through me. I love how the message explains this in Romans 8:26-28 "Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good." I have to quote something my friend Mark Kenney posted today "Someone asked if I believed in tongues. I said I'm pretty sure that most everyone I know has one..so I'll say yes." I try not to make that subject a divisive issue. For me praying in the Spirit for me has been a huge blessing. It has added a deeper dimension my prayer life, particularly when I don't know how to pray. Its a gift - not a badge of spirituality.

 

I have found that I have faith for a given trial when I have been spending time at the feet of Jesus. It is a bad idea to wait for a trial and then to beginning cramming trying to work up faith. One must consistently be using faith and practicing faith in small things. Then when bigger things come our way we are able to look to the many small things that helped us to practice and grow in faith. David had practiced on lions and bears before he stood before the giant Goliath. Use what is going on now to build some spiritual muscle.

 

Prayer:  Dear Lord, Help me build some spiritual muscle in this trial I am facing. Help me to remember and to try some of the ideas in this devotional. Help me grow in faith so that I honor you in the situations that I face as I walk through day to day life. I invite you to be present with me as I go through this day.

What are you feeding your heart?

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What are you feeding you heart?  
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Philippians 1:9-10 (CEV)
9 I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully 
know and understand how to make the right choices. Then you will 
still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day,

I know my own heart seems like such a wild thing - and as a result I have for years kept a very tight reign and even suppressed it much of the time.  Here in this apostolic prayer, Paul is praying that our love will keep on growing. I think that though my heart seems like an untamed creature much of the time - it is like any creature - it needs feed and what I feed it will later influence the choices I make.
In the NIV verse 9 says “ 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight.”  Knowledge and depth of insight - would be far better things to feed my heart than bitterness, envy, anger, violence and other things that squeeze out love and push it into a corner where it can’t grow.  I need to make right choices for my heart. Proverbs 4:23 says  Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Perhaps we need to backwards engineer our current life once in a while. To do regular heart check ups and maintenance. Some people take better care of their cars, pets and children than they do their own heart. What is flowing or growing out of your life? Is it good or messed up? Either way now consider the regular diet of your heart has been fed in the proceeding months and years. What will you feed it from now on. It is good to begin feeding it on the word. Psalm 119:11 says “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”  Spend a time tending it and pulling out the weeds that would choke love from growing in your heart.  Maybe its not so much that your heart has been feed such bad things - perhaps it has been simply starved and pushed into a corner because it seemed too wild to deal with. Maybe your heart is so over grown with weeds and brambles that you stand looking at it with despair and can’t even begin to see where to start. It may take time but its time to take back that ground and to reclaim it for the Lord so that love may begin to grow and thrive.

Things to Ponder:
Does my heart need a check up?

What things are growing or flowing out of my life and heart?

What have I been feeding my heart?

What are some of the weeds that need pulled up down to the very roots?

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help my heart and love to keep growing. Help me to make wise and insightful choices. Help me to guard my heart and feed it on things that will cause it to grow so that good things would flow from it. Help me to pull the weeds that I have allowed to grow to make room for love to grow more and more. Help me hide your word in my heart so I don’t sin against you.

My Gift For You

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A Gift For You
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Romans 1:11 Romans 1:11-12 (NIV1984)
 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift
 to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually
encouraged by each other’s faith.


I read this verse this morning and I wondered what spiritual gift I might impart if I were to see you or if you were to see this post. It was pretty simple as I thought about what I would impart. It would be the gift of joy and the gift of peace.  Joy and Peace are funny gifts you might think them unnecessary, but I have noticed that they have nothing to do with the circumstances you are facing and they have seen me through many difficult seasons. They don’t have to be worked up.  Why joy? - it seems so frivilous. If I were to impart a gift that would make you strong it would be the gift of joy. Nehemiah 8:10b Nehemiah said, "for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”  Also Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.  I love the line my heart trust him and I am helped. Joy is a gift of grace, may it flow over you even as you read like oil poured over your head that drips all the way down to your feet. Oh and speaking of feet - don’t forget to put on your spiritual shoes today. What? you may ask, you go from joy to shoes?  Don’t forget your Ephesians 6 armor and be sure to put oun your shoes. Ephesians 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  You stand there thinking but how? - Look at this mess or trial I’m dealing with.  It is pretty simple and you want to make it hard. Peace and joy walk hand in hand look at Romans 5:1-3 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;. I’ll end with James 1 Your desire is to be mature in Christ it is joy and peace that help get you there.  2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. Joy and peace are gift of God’s grace and they will help you to walk through the difficult things you face. Lift up your hands before the Lord and recieve them now in Jesus name.
 Prayer: 
Dear Lord,
 By faith I come to you on behalf of those who are reading this and I pray that in this instant you would annoint them with your joy and that you would dress them in your robes of righteousness and put fresh armor for the battle they are facing. Let their feet be fitted with the shoes of peace that comes from believing the good news of what Jesus has done on thier behalf. Since they have been justified through faith let them now recieve your peace and your joy. While you are at it Lord send your Holy Spirit to so saturate them that where ever they go they would splash others with your joy and peace as they grow strong in you.

I Hear the Savior Speak

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I Hear the Savior Speak  
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio and an Anonymous Friend

Philippians 4:6
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything 
by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I asked a dear friend if she would share a devotional and she did, but requested that it be posted anonymously. I have a handful of friends that deal with the results of brain injures and I know how they struggle and have good and bad days. My thoughts and prayers go out to each of them. You may not be dealing with a brain injury today but what ever it is that weighs on your heart remember Philippians 4:6. God hears the cry of your heart and He is working often in ways we don’t see or even begin to understand. What follows was written by my friend. It moved me to tears - I know it will touch your heart as well.

Visiting My Daughter After Her Brain Injury
 

I sit alone downstairs, my heart heavy with loss.
The pain of rejection finally finds release in tears.
I had so wanted quality mother-daughter time
But it isn’t happening, and there are only two days left
before I leave for home.

We live so far apart,
but even in the same house, the distance is still there.
Her energy is low, her concentration slight,
and if I ask a question or want to share a poem
she’ll cut me off with, “Mom --- now isn’t a good time.
Maybe later.” 
But later rarely comes.

Then through my grief I hear the Savior speak --
“Be patient, child --- she’s doing the best she can.
Keep loving, serving, comforting.
And let me clasp you to my heart
and give you double measure ---
Enough for you, and for her besides.”

Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Be with this friend and her daughter and bring your comfort and your healing. You know the things that each one reading today is struggling with. Renew our hope and faith to believe that you are able even when the circumstances we face seem dark and hopeless. You are the light in our darkness, you are the God who parted the red sea and sets the captives free. Jesus you walked on water and rose from the dead,  you keep your promises. Today we choose to love you and trust you in the middle of our present trials and to be anxious for nothing. Come heal and restore and hold us close while we wait for your answer to our prayers.

You Are Still Holy

You Are Still Holy

A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

I've been thinking it would be nice to share some of the songs 

that deeply touch my life. I've done a very simple video cover 

recording of You Are Still Holy 

by Rita Springer of Mercy Vineyard. 

I hope you will enjoy it along with today's devotional. 

Blessings, Margot

"Holy, You are still holy 
Even when the darkness surrounds my life
Sovereign, You are still sovereign 
Even when confusion has blinded my eyes

Lord, I don’t deserve Your kind affection
When my unbelief has kept me from Your touch
I want my life to be a pure reflection Of Your love

And so I come into Your chamber 
And I dance at Your feet, Lord
You are my Saviour And I’m at Your mercy
All that has been in my life Up ‘til now, 
belongs to You - You are still holy

Holy, You are still holy 
Even though I don’t understand Your ways
Sovereign, You will be sovereign 
Even when my circumstances don’t change

Lord, I don’t deserve your tender patience 
When my unbelief has kept me from Your truth
I want my life to be a sweet devotion To You"

I awoke this morning with the words of this song running through my mind. We’ve sung it in church in recent weeks.  The line that seems to linger in my head, that I have found running through my mind off and on is the line that says “All that has been in my life up ‘til now, belongs to you”
It has taken it days to surface to my attention. I know there are things that I want to hold on to. Things that I would like retain control and call the shots as to the when and how. Lord help me to release those things into your care. You are my Saviour and I am at Your mercy.

When I went looking for the lyrics to this song this morning I found that it had a 2nd verse. You are still Holy, even when I don’t understand your ways. Even when my circumstances don’t change.
Who am I to say what God is working in me in this season with my present circumstances. I am learning to be thankful for the difficulties, and the delays, they are tools in His hand that shape me.
So I am pondering this song and letting it speak deeply to me.  Yesterday as I was praying the Lord said “ There is yet much in you that needs healed”  I find myself thankful that God can find a use for broken vessels.  That he so tenderly picks up the broken pieces to repair and restore our lives. I am endeavoring to be open and transparent in these devotionals. I don’t generally put in the details of my own circumstances because you have your own details that go with your own life. I also admit that I am not at a place yet to be able to share my details. People look at me and think I am so strong - I suppose in some ways I am but I have to agree with the Lord. There is yet much in me that needs healed and He is still sovereign and He is still Holy.  I suppose it is a process and a journey of dying to myself and learning to be patient to trust and wait for His perfect plan. I’ve included a video I recorded of this song, I hope it will bless you.

Prayer: 
Dear Lord,
Thank you that all that has been in my life up til now - belongs to you. Thank you that you know how to heal and that I don’t need to sit here and try to stitch up my own wounds. I surrender myself to your tender care. I know even when what you are doing is painful that you love me and are working for my good.

The Song You Are Still Holy is by Rita Springer of Mercy / Vineyard

On Days That I Struggle

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On Days That I Struggle
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Psalms 55:6-8
 I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove!
   I would fly away and be at rest—
7 I would flee far away and stay in the desert. ~ Selah
8 I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”

There are days when my struggles seem to rage and roar around me like a great storm. I find comfort that David, who penned many of the Psalms had days when he struggled too. I may wish like David that I could fly away and be at rest.  I might like to flee my circumstances. Wish that I could hurry far from the tempest and storm.  Most of the time flying away is not an option and I’m stuck in the midst of my storm so I wanted to share some of the things I do to get through a stormy day.

I take time to worship - I go some place where I can turn up some worship music and I lift my praises, worship and thanks to the Lord. I set aside my concerns and honor the Lord. Later I lift my prayers before the Lord then I listen to hear if He will speak to me in my heart or through His word. I often journal those thoughts. Then I go on to do the things that I can or have to do.

I will often have a verse that I am standing on written on a 3x5 card and sitting on my desk. I may carry around a penny to remind me “In God We Trust” or I keep a look-out for pennies during my day.  Sometimes I carry in my pocket colored stones that represent the people I am praying for. 
I look for reasons to be thankful, sometimes it someone’s flower garden that I am passing or a sunset, or a thought of a friend.

I look for ways to encourage others - I try to minister out of my own struggle and I have found that often I am encouraged by encouraging others. Today I posted the following on my facebook page “Psalm 31:24 Be Brave, Be Strong, Don’t Give up. Expect God To Get Here Soon. - In the NIV it says Be strong and take heart all you who hope in the Lord.” Just a reminder to myself today.” I had a number of folks comment thanking me.  I posted later in the day “I’m glad God is able - even on days when things that concern us seem to weigh heavily on our hearts. I bind fear, and discouragement and pray for His provision for all the things that concern us. Take heart all you who hope in the Lord.”
I thought about sharing all my concerns but I decided that it really was not necessary - God knew and I knew He was working. In spite of feeling kind of down all day, I reminded myself that what I believe is not based upon how I am feeling. Some days I struggle to get my feelings to turn but I stand on the truth. God has not forgotten me, He has heard the cry of my heart, He does love me no matter of how I might feel.  One friend respond to my post saying “ You put your faith so easily into words, it shines through.” To which I responded “Glad my faith shines through on a day that I have struggled. Have had a number of things that have weighed heavily on my heart today. God’s answers often come like the ram in the thicket did for Abraham. (Genesis 22) You can tell from verse 8 that Abraham trusted that God would provide long before the answer came. He was obedient to God’s plan. We have to keep moving forward by faith and in obedience on the course set before us and not be like the deer in the headlights of an on coming car - frozen by worry, fear and doubt. - I should just go write tomorrows devotional.”  Which I have now completed - I hope it will help you on days that you struggle.
Prayer: 
Dear Lord,
Thank you for understanding and showing me your compassion and mercy on days when I struggle. Thank you for standing with me in the storm - In You I may bend but I won’t break. You know how much I can handle and it is often far more than I think. Thank you for stretching me and allowing circumstances that cause me to press into you.

The Only Thing That Counts

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The Only Thing That Counts  
A Devotional by Margot Cioccio

Galatians 4:6b (NIV)
“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

In context this verse is in a discussion about circumcision. There were people in the early church who wanted to incorporate the Jewish law and the practice of circumcision into the lives of Christians. Paul is quite clear that in Christ circumcision has no value. What counts is faith expressing itself through love. So lets take a moment to look at where and how faith is expressing itself through love in our own lives.
If that’s what counts - how are we doing?

It is easy to think that by some religious act or sacrifice we can make ourself worthy of God’s acceptance. If we could just be good enough or Holy enough God would add some points in our favor. Because we are not as bad as that guy, so maybe we have a chance. I am happy to say it just does not work like that. We are never good enough. We might as well try and swim across the ocean.  Some might get farther than others but no one will make it on their own strength or efforts.

This section is pretty clear that religious acts like circumcision are not what makes you right, or worthy. If I believe that God has accepted me, because of what Jesus has done then my faith should begin to express itself in love for the one who has accepted me. No longer is the barriers of shame and guilt there to block my access to be with the one who loves and accepts me. No longer are the barriers of pride and self-sufficiency blocking the way to the one who loves me with out condition. He loves it when we realize how much we need Him. He calls us to come to him not based upon our own worthiness but by the way made by Jesus Christ.

Faith expressing itself through love shows up in many areas. For example if I really believe prayer makes a difference - I will pray. By faith I will express my love for others by praying and believing that prayer for them somehow makes a difference. If I have faith to believe that God works all things out for the good of those who love Him and are called according to his purposes. I will express my faith through patience and trust that good is working even when circumstances may shout loudly that God has forgotten. If I really believe that He loves me as broken and sinful as I am by faith I will begin to express my love for him in thankfulness and in finding time to be with Him and know Him more.
We have to stop trying to gain Gods favor by our efforts or our good behavior and accept that he already loves us what He is looking for from us is faith that what Jesus did is enough and that we express that faith in how we love God and love others. As we spend time with Him his love fills us more and more and that love flows through out life into the lives of others. We are his hands and feet.
The only Bible that most people will ever read - just might be you.

Things to Ponder:
So how are you doing with faith expressing itself through love?
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Help me accept what Jesus has done for me and to realize that there is nothing I can do to earn your favor, acceptance or approval. Help me to express my faith through love today.