My goal is to live by faith. Sometimes, it’s easier said than done. So I try to be more intentional about it. Most of the time when I find myself not living by faith, I am actually living by sight.
I see all my problems instead of the ultimate problem solver. I know I’m not alone in this because I see others falling into the same trap I do all the time.
For example
When I’m fundraising for Albania and people ask how much more I need, I usually don’t say an amount, I stick to percentages. They are easier for people to handle. I mean seriously, doesn’t “I’m 70% there!” sound better than “I still need $20,000!” Both of those are ficticious numbers (I’m really around the halfway mark). When I first started and before I came up with my percentage strategy, when people asked how much money I had to raise, I would tell them and I literally saw them do any one or combination (including all four) of the following:
a) take a mini-gasp for air
b) mumble something about the economy
c) allow their chin to drop and mouth to hang open for a few seconds
d) what I refer to as the shock and aww. They verbalize their shock by repeating the dollar amount to stall for time as they regain composure and then reality sets in and they pity me for having to raise that much money followed by an “awwww.”
Well honestly yes. It is a lot of money. That’s why I have had to ask for help. From you. Yes you. And if you haven’t given… 🙂 just kidding.
But seriously you can give here.
Back to the point. Like I said, I try to stick to percentages because it’s easier for people to handle. If they ask how much money I need, I tell them. But the problem is they only see how much I need. They only see what I lack. They only see the human factor. They only see how much it is that I have to raise. They only see what can be accomplished with human limitations (That’s living by sight: seeing all the problems and not the one who solves them)
When I first started, I was in their shoes. I was a little overwhelmed by the amount but I quickly learned that technically, everything is God’s and since I know it is His will for me to go, He will get it to me one way or the other. I just have to do my share of the work. (That’s me trying to live by faith) I no longer think about how much I have left. Ok I do, but I don’t focus on that. I focus on trying to get word out about my ministry because mine is unique in that it works both ways while I’m overseas. But that brings up another issue for another post.
So how has this living by faith vs sight affected me? Well for starters, I think it’s kinda funny because while I see people processing the dollar amounts I have left to go, I’m processing all the dollar amounts I’ve gotten so far. So if I’m ever smiling when I tell you I have thousands of dollars left to raise, that’s why. Because that’s exactly how much I have already raised. Most of that in a short period of time (thus the smile. I’m sorry, but that makes me smile. Trust me it’s not because I enjoy asking people for money)
Honestly, I’ve probably raised most of what I have so far in the past couple months. If God continues to provide at that speed then I will only be slightly behind my anticipated date in July. You see, when you live by faith, you look at what God has already done in order to see what He can do.
And that, my dears, is how you keep from getting discouraged.