Many years ago when I lived in a second floor apartment my strongest desire was to buy a house. I was married at the time, had my first child and also had one on the way. I wanted a place for them to run and play. I wanted a place to have a garden and run a business. Needless to say, I was super excited about the idea of owning my own home. But I was young and still pretty clueless about the way the world worked and how the people in it believed, or didn’t believe.
Shortly in to my hunt for the perfect home for my little family, my (ex) husband and I were out for a drive and came across an old farmhouse for sale. It was adorable! It had about 50 acres and sat on a hill with a beautiful view of the countryside. “I could plant an orchard on that hillside and a garden on the other!” I explained excitedly.
I didn’t bat an eye after finding out that the house was listed for $189,000. I wanted that house and that was that. No one could tell me no. I just believed. Until…
Until people influential in my (ex) husband’s life told us it was impossible, that it was out of our price range. They gave us all the worldly reasons why it was just simply not in the cards. “Don’t listen to them,” I told myself. But they were able to plant a seed of doubt in my husband. He became convinced it was impossible and this became a source of contention for us. Now he thought I was rather silly for thinking we could buy it in the first place. “Your faith is naïve,” he said. After a few quarrels on the matter, I broke. My childlike faith wavered because of the strife between us and I let go of the idea of buying the beautiful farmhouse on the hill.
So, we looked at another house that was just as cute. It was in a quiet neighborhood on about 2 acres of land. It had fruit trees and flower beds and rose bushes. And it was only $40,000!! Sure, it lacked the acreage that the other house had but I was just as excited. Sure, it needed some repairs, but work never scared me. But it was not to be either. The same people that convinced my husband that we couldn’t afford the farmhouse, convinced him we couldn’t take on this “fixer upper.”
Needless to say, I jumped on buying the next house we came across without any input from anyone! Unfortunately, I spent the following two decades semi-unsatisfied with it. I’ve remodeled hear. Added on their, Changed the siding twice. Put in trees. Taken out trees. Added flower beds. Taken out flower beds. It just wasn’t what I wanted. I settled and I paid for it.
On the plus side, I paid off the house rather quickly and am now 100% debt free! (Always look for the positive in any situation).
But sometimes I wonder just how differently my life would have turned out had I stayed the course in that naïve faith. Had I just kept believing. Maybe my husband at the time would have been more impacted by my faith than the other people’s doubt. Maybe he would have gotten back on board with buying our dream house. Who knows! Don’t get me wrong in all of this. I do not wish to turn back time. I like my life now and believe that the sky is the limit on what can be accomplished and what kind of house Rob and I can get. But I am convinced it was indeed 100% possible to buy the house of my dreams in that moment of time.
Do you have a dream, a plan, a goal in which you are believing for and working towards? Are there people in your life telling you it’s impossible? Are there nay-sayers and Debbie-downers picking away at your naïve faith? The only One Who should have the influence to tell you “no” is God. If you know without doubt that what you seek is in line with God’s will and plan for you, don’t let outside negativity tell you otherwise. Receive it like a little child! Get you some “naïve faith”!!
You see, naïve faith is not an insult. It’s a compliment. God’s word tells us to receive in a manner that is like a child: “Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’” Luke 18: 15-17 NKJV
Of course we should always use wisdom in any matter, but I’m talking about the trusting innocence of a child. How does a little child receive anything that is good and desirable? With excitement, willingness, expectation, eagerness, and naiveté. Whether you tell a child you’re going for ice cream or going to Disneyland, they simply believe you and react to it accordingly. They have no doubt in them that what you said is going to happen unless you tell them otherwise. When you tell a child they can do anything, be anything, achieve anything, they believe it to be so. You can even convince children fairytales, such as the easter bunny and Santa Clause, are real and they blindly believe you. Why? Because they have naïve faith. Now, we ought to treat that naïve faith with care and not tell them things that are not true. I don’t believe it to be good practice to lie to children. God would never make us promises that He cannot fulfill, so, be cautious not to do the same to your own children. Always be truthful. And that truth is that your child, even you, “can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
The truth is, God wants us to be blessed, prosperous, healthy, and successful. The truth is He is a good Father Who wants good things for His children. The truth is, He cares about every aspect of your life!
“But I don’t deserve it.” You know what? None of us deserve it. Repent for your sins and move on from that mentality (Acts 2:38). Look at the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15: 11-32). He was one of the worst vile sinners who blew his inheritance on wretched things and prostitutes. When he hit bottom and had nowhere to go, he repented and asked his father’s forgiveness. Did his father look at him and say, “Go away, you filthy sinner?” NO! He saw him from afar off and ran to him and kissed him. He instructed his servants to kill the fatted calf on his son’s behalf and threw a party.
So, the first step toward achievement is repentance. Repent and move away from feelings of unworthiness. That mindset will hold you prisoner. Next, stay in His word in order to build mountain moving faith. Meditate on what God says about you and your life. That way when the firey darts of the enemy comes or when the people in your life who don’t know any better try to plant seeds of doubt you will be able to hold fast to the faith which you confess (Hebrews 10:23).
Then act on it. God’s word says that faith without works is dead. (James 2:26) You can’t ignore the commands of God (namely to love Him and each other- John 13: 34-35) and expect your success to be inevitable. You can’t be stingy (God loves a cheerful giver- 2 Corinthians 9:7) and expect financial blessing. You can’t run wild with credit cards and expect to have financial freedom (Proverbs 22:7). You can’t run around on your spouse and expect to have a happy marriage. You can’t smoke a pack a day and expect abundant health. No, you most certainly have your part to play in your success in life. Don’t be double minded in these things for that makes for an unstable person (James 1:8)
Also: work hard; don’t give up; be thankful; give God the glory, honor, and praise; worship God; walk in the fruits of the spirit; develop a servant’s heart; spread the gospel and live out the Great Commission.
And lastly, “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
The world is yours for the taking. Do your part, let God do His, and hold on to your naïve faith that “with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) to him who believes (Mark 9:23).”
“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.” Mark 11:23
In His Service,
Rebecca Hamilton, Founder/ Executive Director
For Every Great Battle, There is a Great Victory!!