You are probably familiar with the narrative in John, Chapter 11, which tells of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Do you remember Lazarus’ sister Martha’s response to Jesus when the Lord commanded that the stone be rolled away from the tomb entrance? She said, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39 (NKJV). For Martha, the stone represented the natural conclusion of the matter. The circumstances told her it was too late for things to change.
If you accept the natural conclusion of the circumstances you have been facing as the final word, you put an end to the effectiveness of your faith. I encourage you to look beyond the stinking smell of defeat that the natural conclusion may bring. Allow the sweetness of your faith to fill the air around you. Do this until you see the supernatural conclusion change your life. Jesus said, in Mark 9:23 (NKJV), “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” God is faithful and can always bring the sweet aroma of His presence to transform any apparent outcome into the one for which you have believed. Now, I am not saying this always happens, but for the person who stands in his or her faith, it becomes a lifestyle of testimonies to the caring hand of God. Remember, as Martha found out, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him (or to her) who believes.”