Spoiler alert: sometimes in life, you may feel like you have no purpose or direction in life. You may feel like you spark is gone and are feeling less than empowered. This is normal but we can’t let it become the norm. What can we change? Who can we look to for inspiration? Can we reverse this blow to our spiritual and emotional selves?
The bible is a great resource for lighting your spiritual fire. There is just something about reading stories of ancient times where people were fierce in their love for God, family, and their freedom. that makes you remember that you come from a long line of fighters. There are many stories that remind us that anything is possible if we put our mind and our prayers to the task. Here are two examples that can help you realize your spiritual fire is worth lighting and that it can carry you far.
The first story of the Old Testament is a story about a faithful hopeful-mother-to-be. You may have heard of Samuel the prophet and his extraordinary acuity in listening to the Lord in the night for instruction, but do you remember his mother? Hannah was a righteous and steadfast woman of God. She so desperately wanted to have a child. She had a deep desire to have and raise children of her own and has previously been unsuccessful with conception. She also had a deep loyalty to the Lord and turned to Him for help. She went to the tabernacle to pray and ask for a son. She promised that if God would bless her with a son, she would dedicate him to the Lords service. Her prayer was so out of the ordinary in passion and emotion that the priest thought she was drunk when in fact she was overcome by the Spirit. Soon she became a mother to a baby boy who became the great prophet, Samuel. Hannah is a great example of having a great fire of faith. She couldn’t help but turn to the Lord for a blessing in her righteous desire. Where is the passion for motherhood today? Where is the humility to plead with God for our needs and desires? We have a lot to learn from Hannah in turning to God to help us reach our hopes and dreams.
Another example of fiery faith and valiance is the story of David and Goliath. David was a young and fair farmboy and his brothers were soldiers. One day he wandered to the encampment to bring provisions to his brothers. He knew of the threatening Goliath who was awaiting an opponent on the battlefield. David knew God could help him defeat the hulking and ginormous Goliath so he set out to do just that. With a sling and a stone, he made his way over to Goliath, proclaimed that his God would help him kill Goliath, and then killed Goliath with one try from his sling. How powerful was David’s faith to do this incredible feat? He had no business being at the camp nor to fight a giant! But David knew God’s power and his own faith and out the two together to do something amazing, and he saved his people. David is another fine example of fiery determination coupled with faith that led to answered prayers and a whole society left better because of it.
What holds us back from having fiery faith and determination in God? What holds us back from leaning on God one hundred percent and unwavering? Is it fear of failure, imposter syndrome, or worrying about other people’s opinions? Is it not having proof that God will provide for you when you need it? Whatever the cause, we must try to look beyond it. Let your faith run free, let your passion for love and family be never-ending, rise up to seemingly impossible odds with fiery determination, and in all, lean on God. You are the only one who can change your mind and your actions, God is the only one who can change your heart. So let your heart be open for change and you will begin to see your mind and actions change. The goodness and drive that is in your heart can be amplified thus allowing your actions to become more powerful and frequent. This is what unshakeable faith looks like and it is possible to attain. Turn to God to light your spiritual fire.
Makenzi Holland 