Miracles don't happen much today in the western world because too many Christians find it easier on them to not take God at his word and not trust him to simply step out of the comfort zone and be used by God. They fear, "but what if I say something, what if I pray, and no miracle happens? Then everyone will look at me as a fraud and I would be less in their eyes. What people think of me IS more important than maybe God will do a miracle."
The thing is when we do step out of our comfort zone, it is often true. We do pray for a person and the person isn't healed. What does that cost us? Cost? We're not paying, we're obeying! We gain something for stepping out of that comfort zone.
What it might cost the person who is sick and really hoping for that miracle is a little lost trust in God maybe. But, no. Not really. As a disabled person I am disappointed God hasn't healed my back. BUT I count it all joy too, because God not doing the miracle on my back also means I have to lean on him more than I would if my back was good. Our aim is to lean on God 24/7, so a little more is better than a little less, right?
And yet, people come up with all sorts of excuses to not pray for another's miracles. They blame the Bible's wording. They blame God. They blame lack of apostles. They blame anything and all things except for the one true thing -- it is them. They would rather be comfortable then live in the discomfort that is our best relationship with God -- trusting him.
Notice the miracles in the Bible. Jesus used spit and dirt to give a blind person sight. He rubbed the mud on the guy's eyes, so he touched him. He put in a little extra effort even though he's God, so all he had to do was think it and ALL blind people would have seen that day. Not his plan!
The woman touched his hem. Martha and Mary pleaded to him. An action has to happen for a miracle to happen. Not that God needs any action, but as a sign of faith. THAT's the sign talked about. The sign so many use as yet another excuse to avoid stepping out of their comfort zone.
So to do nothing? Yeah, well, no wonder miracles happen less now in the west than it used to be. When you don't trust God enough to lay hands, anoint with oil, or to even expect God of doing anything, God can't use you for that miracle. One less miracle.
Multiply that by as many times as you had the opportunity to trust God for that. Then multiply that by how many others you talk out of leaving their comfort zone, and what do you expect but nothing? THAT was your plan all along, right? Nothing! Don't think God wants me to change simply because I say I follow him. It's just words, right? No action required, right?
God has used my hubby and me five times for miracles. Thousands of times there was no miracle when we stepped out. But there wouldn't even have been five times if we didn't take him at his word. There also wouldn't be "we" anymore. Just me wilting a little more because of this New Age teaching that miracles don't happen.
Miracles happen still. Unless you make sure you avoid them.
