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Working as a chaplain for a hospice organization, one of the things we are asked to do is an assessment of the pain of the client. In some cases we ask the client; in other cases we have to assess the pain by telltale signs and assign a score on a scale of 1-10. It dawned on me that we can do the same with our faith, "How big is your faith on a scale of 1-10? Can people see our faith by our behavior, by our actions?
A youth camp song states, "It only takes a spark to get a fire going. So it is with God's love (faith in God)." When I am faced with trials and tribulations, they can either quench my faith, like a wet blanket, or provide fuel for my faith to grow. As I put my faith (trust, reliance, hope, dependence) on God, my faith grows like the spark that starts a great fire.
During the past year, I have faced many challenges; three deaths in the family, illness of my wife, added responsibilities in the church and chaplain's position, enough to cause anyone to throw their hands up in despair -- or -- grow in my trust, dependence, and reliance on God, knowing that he will be with me through it all. So I ask myself, on a scale of 1-10, how big is my faith?
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the promise and assurance that you will be with us through all our problems and tribulations and will help us grow in our faith in you. Amen.
- Sam Ramirez,
Lakeland, Florida
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