Why We Fail

Luke ~ "I don't believe it!"
Yoda ~ "THAT...is why you fail"

For all of his strengths, Luke Skywalker couldn't conjure up enough of the "Force" to raise his crashed ship out of that swamp.  As he walked away in defeat, the old jedi master Yoda shook his head in disgust at the lack of focus of his student.  The time had come for Lukes next lesson.  Yoda raised his hands and slowly the space ship rose from the bubbling swamp and drifted through the air before landing upon dry ground once again.  Flabbergasted, Luke cannot believe this little green creature could do such a thing.  "I don't believe it," he stammers.  Yoda concludes his lesson with yet another piece of sage advice from the old master, "THAT, is why you fail."  Personaly, I've been through many times when I couldn't believe how I could ever get through a situation.  Sure, there are those who approach any situation with the attitude that they are going to power through it.  Usually, I'm not one of those confident types.  So, how is it that we can be strong in our confidence that we will overcome what the world throws at us?  Well,master Yoda had it right in a way.  See, young Luke could not believe in the powers he was witnessing.  Indeed, this unbelief is why he failed.  This is where I've often founf myself in my spiritual life, not trusting that the God who created the universe could ever help me in my situation.  Seeing God merely as one who looked down from heaven to see where I would ultimately fall short.  This, is why we fail.

24For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. 26Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession gfor us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8: 24 - 28 NKJV

The apostle Paul had a pretty good definition of faith in Romans 8.  We hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.  When everything inside of us tells us it cannot happen, our faith tells us that it will.  This is the point where our hope becomes a certainty.  We trust that God is able to work on our behalf.  We trust that the power of Christ Jesus within us is indeed our strength {Philipians 4: 13}.  To think that God is simply looking down on us from heaven infers that there is a seperation between ourselves and our creator.  Of course, it is Galations 2:20 which assures us that not only are we in step with God, but that we live each and every day as Him.  Knowing this, what situation is there that Christ Jesus cannot handle?  We shouldn't worry about our failure, for if we do we ultimately will.  No, our hopes are for what we cannot see and we await eagerly for it.  For this is the very definition of our faith.

~Scott~