A paper hung on the machine that read "Out of Order" printed in dark, authoritative lettering. All of the fumbling for quarters on the way there had been for nothing.

"Aw, it's broken." Her voice dropped as she said it. "Those are my favorite kind. I love the cinnamon ones."

When a mother hears those words spoken, there is a desperate desire to try and make up for the child's disappointment. Kicking the machine over and pounding on it was not an option. After all, it was a public place.

"That is not good," I offered, concealing my frustration and trying to take away some of the dejection. "Do they sell them anywhere else?"

"No. Most places sell the green, white and orange ones. The cinnamon ones are hard to find."

Inside the glass bubble there were red hot mints waiting for customers. The three of us stood there not knowing how to get them from the machine. We watched as people approached, saw the sign, and walked away. The words clearly shouted for us to move on and forget it.

The first quarter fit into the slot.

"Mom, what are you doing? The machine isn't working."

"We'll see."

"The sign says..."

"I know." Another quarter slipped into place.

Shaking her head she said, "You are going to lose your money." My actions looked as if I were ignoring her doubts.

Cranking the small metal handle I thought, "I am going to lose my money, but at least I will go down trying."

The handle stuck and fought my efforts to make it move. Latching on tighter, with teeth clenched, I twisted against its will. After a few moments, it gave up the battle as the mechanism moved to the right as it should. The sound of quarters dropping in came next as a pack of cinnamon Tic Tacs® shot out of the machine like a bullet. Our heads turned in unison to watch as it flew across the mall corridor. Both girls scampered to retrieve our much fought for item.

Another customer approached the machine, saw the sign, and walked away. A strong thought came:

"Just because something looks impossible does not mean that it is impossible. When a person does not step out in faith, they often do not get what they are longing for."

In 2 Corinthians 5:7 it says, "We live by faith, not by sight" (NLT).

An important gift has been given to the believer that the rest of the world does not possess. It is the ability to place our lives into the hands of the One who created all things. When we let go, don't let the world dictate our lives, and surrender it all to Him, things can be accomplished that seem unachievable.

My daughter's doubt and fear that the machine would take our money without anything in return is common. People want a profit on their investment no matter how big or small. What if you put your faith into something and nothing happens? How much should we risk if there is a chance we may get nothing back for our efforts? God wants us to get beyond that way of thinking and just test the waters. So many want to experience the things of God but they are not willing to step out into the unknown or go past what their eyes can see.

If the voice of God is telling you to pursue something, then don't take no for an answer. He is able to move on your behalf when you apply your faith and ask Him for assistance. In James 4:2, it says, "You don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it" (NLT).

An important aspect to realize is that God sees the entire picture of your life from where He sits. His view is not limited. When a person desires something, the first response of a believer should be to go to Him in prayer and be led by the Holy Spirit as to which direction to take. If He instructs you to go ahead with something, then put all of your faith into it no matter what. His Word says that He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

When faced with a machine that was broken, I had to put some effort in to get what my daughter wanted. The mints did not just fall out at our feet. But when some pressure was applied, we received them. Have people or events discouraged you from pursuing those things that you know you are called to do? God is asking you to go beyond the "out of order" signs in your life, execute your faith, and expect those things that may seem impossible to obtain.

Photo of cinnamon mints from Wikimedia.org, Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License (by "Bilious")

Copyright © by Christine Prueher Share

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