Faith or Arrogance

³ “Do not keep talking so proudly 
   or let your mouth speak such arrogance, 
for the LORD is a God who knows,    and by him deeds are weighed. -1 Samuel 2:3


Yesterday we had a 4th of July cookout at our house for the family and a few neighbors.  I guess we had 25-30 people including the little ones.  The cookout was planned to start at 4 PM even though weather forecasters were predicting storms.  If you live around here, you know that storms have been predicted almost daily this summer with many hitting, but many missing as well.  We decided they were going to miss and continued our plans for an outside party.  


We set up under the carport, more as a protection from the sun than from any anticipated rain. Richard began cooking on the grill and I brought out all the food that I had prepared.  As we sat down to eat, we could see it approaching... and it looked ominous.  But we all still "had faith" that it would miss us.  "Maybe we'll get the edge of it," someone said, "It looks like it will mostly go around us." 


Nope.  We got it.  The carport worked well, and the cars parked in the driveway helped keep most of the rain from blowing in on us, but storm it did.  Food, plates, etc. got blown from our hands.  The party was not ruined, but the mood was certainly "dampened" (pun intended).  So much for faith... or was it faith?


There is a fine line between faith and arrogance.  Arrogance is expecting God to do things MY way.  Faith is trusting God will do what is best for all and everything concerned, even if it is not what I hope for. When our "faith" is really "arrogance" we will soon find out!


There is a sermon illustration about a community that was enduring a drought.  They all decided to meet outside the courthouse to have a prayer vigil for rain.  Only one little girl brought an umbrella.  Of course the point of the story is that only the little girl had true faith in the prayers of the community being answered.  But perhaps her faith is tinged with arrogance.  Perhaps God had other plans for this community that no one could understand.  Perhaps God's plan was simply to bring them together in prayer.  Perhaps he was teaching them perseverance.


When we pray... no matter what it is we think we want... we should desire God's will over all.  Faith in God's will is truly faith.  Believing God will give us what we THINK we want is arrogance.  There really is a fine line.


Father,
Help us to see your will as the true answer to our prayers and to rejoice in it.  Amen.


Joys:  Fun time with family in spite of the storm; a couple more days off before going back to work; summer time