Faith Verses Fear

by Dave Addison (Executive Director of Toronto City Mission)

I was being interviewed today and was asked “As the Executive Director of Toronto City Mission, what keeps you up at night?”

I struggled to find an answer then said “It’s probably having the money needed to run TCM”. As soon as I said it, I thought ‘where’s my faith?’ In the next breath, I found myself sharing a story of recently cancelling a TCM fundraiser because we hadn’t sold enough tickets. Our goal for the event was $10,000 and, the very week we pulled the plug, we received an unsolicited cheque for $10,000 from an organization that had never before given to TCM.

When tickets to the event weren’t selling, we could have tried to use our human powers of persuasion to make it happen. Before we did that, we asked ourselves if it was God’s will. After prayer, we made the decision to cancel the event. In the end, God provided and He chose how to do it. The irony wasn’t lost on us how much easier it was to achieve our goal when we trusted in God.

This doesn’t mean that placing our challenges in God’s hands absolves us of our responsibilities. We still have to do our part, but we have to seek God’s will first. When the Lord called me to TCM, I spent six devoted months in preparation before the Board made the decision to offer me the position of Executive Director.

And that’s the message…have faith. Believe. Trust in the Lord. “Hand over any fears to God. Give them up to Him in prayer.

And have a great night’s sleep!

Jesus Calms the Storm

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Matthew 8:23-26 (NIV)