Since faith is like spiritual “money” for you to get Jesus’ help, what would it take for you to start believing, trusting, relying on, and respecting Him? Like it takes money to be exchanged for products and services, you understand that if you don’t have the money, you can’t have the products or services. However, the ways of getting money is totally different from getting faith. Once again, faith is free; it can’t be earned, traded for, stolen, or demanded. Faith is a gift that you can turn right around and USE to get all the other free gifts of God.

When you play a game that uses play money, the play money is freely distributed to all the players in the beginning. When the game is over, all the play money is put back in the box. It was just used to make proper exchanges and to be able to keep track of the value each person had. Rom 12:6 (NIV) We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. You will see Jesus talk about LITTLE faith.

Let’s go back to the illustration about getting a huge rock removed from your backyard. Suppose you start building a relationship with your neighbor. Let’s say you start out slow by doing some simple things with them. You just go over and get acquainted with them; you talk about the weather, sports, and tell them a little bit about yourself. Then let’s say you do a few small things for them and they do some small things for you. Gradually you get to know them and find out they weren’t anything like you thought. Wouldn’t that help you trust them?

It is true you have this big “rock” in your life called divorce issues. But, if you are having any difficulties with trusting Jesus, that lack of trust will create a wall in your relationship with Him. That means that you need to put this issue up as a priority. Just like you have some things to do before you earn enough money to buy products and services, there are some things you must do to get the free gift of trust and faith in Jesus.

The thing about Jesus is, He does know everything; and, because of this, you can’t hide even the smallest particle of a lack of trust. But, another great aspect about Him is, He is gracious and loving. Heb 12:2 (NIV) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. As with everything required of you in Christianity, Jesus will provide you with it. You are required to have faith; so, Jesus authors it and perfects it in you.

For Jesus to be gracious means He will go to great lengths to help you have the faith you need. It means you may be somewhat hurtful in your attitudes with Him by not being able to believe like you should; but, He will use His grace to keep helping you. If you can be patient with Jesus, He will gently take you through the process of developing a complete trust in Him.

What if a dog showed up in your yard and you wanted to gain their trust. If they were a very shy and cautious dog, it would take a lot of patience and careful advances for you to become their friend. But, what if during your efforts to win them over, they bit you? If you are going to continue to try to establish a good relationship with them, that is going to require grace.

You will, knowingly and unknowingly, do things that are offensive to Jesus. But, He will show you incredible grace, love, and forgiveness, as He continues to try to help you get the type of faith you need. As you go through this process, if you don’t misread Jesus’ attitudes and character, trust will start to develop through the relationship.

Now, let’s change the dog illustration a little bit; let’s say the dog was too friendly. Instead of being cautious and shy, they ran up to you, jumped up on you, and got your new clothes all dirty. That too would take a lot of grace on your part.

Jesus gives grace, love, and forgiveness to every type of person with every kind of personality, every kind of problem, and every kind of attitude. It doesn’t matter to Jesus how big or small your problems are, whether you are shy or aggressive, lack a little bit or a lot of faith; He is still willing to graciously work with you and help you get the faith you need. BUT, you have to notice and appreciate this grace, love, and forgiveness. If Jesus treats you in a wonderful way in spite of your mistakes, offenses, sins, and failures, you will have to notice and appreciate it.

However, if you are going to get Jesus’ help, you will have to be willing for it to take awhile for your issues with divorce to be healed. As you learn how to be helped with your faith, the process of healing will start; but, it will take time. Once your faith gets where it needs to be, that faith will then help you get all the other things you need from Him.