FAITH & REFLECTION -- Consider this familiar story: fleas are incredible jumpers. In fact, a flea can jump over 150 times its own height. If a man had the same strength, he could jump over 900 feet high. For some perspective, the Statue of Liberty is 305 feet high from base to the top of the torch. In addition, a flea can jump 30,000 times without taking a break. Imagine if we had that kind of strength and stamina. We could accomplish anything.
But if a flea trainer puts a flea in a jar with a lid on it, the flea will, of course, begin to jump, but after a while, the flea, tired of banging his head against the lid, will lower his jump.
Once they become accustomed to the fact that they cannot escape, you can remove the lid and the flea will only jump as high as where the lid was.
He will never escape the jar because his mind has been reprogrammed to only jump so high. The flea limits itself because of conditioning and experiencing the school of hard knocks.
Are you like a flea? Have you been conditioned to jump only so high? Have you hit your head up against life's situations so many times that you are tired of trying? Have you had the wind taken out of your sails through discouragement, ridicule, and failures?
It's a common conclusion that faithful church attendance is the mark of a true devotee, a real faith filled person. Of course, church life is an act of devotion, and very much part of faith and faithfulness. But if our faith is in the 'attending' rather than in the God whose name is on the door, we have set a very low ceiling of faith expectations and responsibilities. The thing that makes faith powerful, personal and alive is when the lid comes off and we discover the limitless attributes of God.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Are you in agreement with God's version of your life? Do you plan to prosper – to succeed and keep growing? What of His power is at work in you?
Start reading his word, discovering his ways, and engage Him in prayerful conversation and your faith and devotion will abound in flea like proportions.