Imagine God is a loving Father, sitting in a large armchair. And you, his child, come to him with a list of demands: “Dad, I want a new bike. Dad, I want you to stop making it rain. Dad, I want ice cream for dinner.” And you believe that if you ask with enough conviction, if you truly “believe” that he will give it to you, He is obligated to do so.

How do you think that Father would feel? Probably a little sad. Because you are so focused on the gifts that you are missing the Giver.

Sometimes, without realizing it, we treat faith that way. We see it as a kind of magic lever. If we have “enough faith,” we can move God’s hand. If we “declare” something strongly enough, the universe has to conspire to give it to us. We turn God into a cosmic genie and faith into our magic lamp.

But, my friend, that is not the faith the Bible talks about. That is a recipe for frustration. Because, what happens when you pray for healing and it doesn’t come? Or when you ask for a job and you don’t get it? The conclusion is painful: “I must have done something wrong. My faith was not strong enough.” And guilt crushes us.

Biblical faith is something much more beautiful and liberating. It is not a tool to get what we want. It is our response of love and trust to a God who knows what is best for us, even when we don’t understand it.

The Bible says that “without faith it is impossible to please God.” Pay close attention. It does not say “impossible to get things from God.” It says “impossible to please him.” And what is it that most pleases a Father’s heart? It is not his child’s wish list. It is when his child, in the middle of the night, simply cuddles up next to him and says: “Dad, I’m here with you. I trust you.”

That is faith. It is telling God: “Lord, I don’t understand why I’m going through this, but I trust that you are good.” “Lord, it hurts, but I trust that you are with me.” “Lord, my plans have fallen apart, but I trust that yours are better.”

That is the faith that makes God smile. The faith of three young Hebrews who, in front of a fiery furnace, said: “Our God is able to save us… but even if he does not, we will not bow down to anyone else.” Wow! Their faith did not depend on the outcome. It depended on the character of God. They were not trying to manipulate God into saving them; they were determined to honor him, no matter what happened.

This kind of faith frees us from the pressure of having to “perform.” It allows us to rest. It moves us from a business relationship with God (“I do this, You give me that”) to a love story with Him (“no matter what happens, I am yours and You are mine”).

So, put down the magic lever. You don’t need it. Go to your Father. Not with a list of demands, but with a trusting heart. Sit next to Him and simply say: “Dad, I trust you.” That is the most powerful prayer you could ever make. And it is the one that most delights His heart.

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

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