When God Doesn’t Do It

When I was a child, I had an unusual fascination with vending machines. Did anyone else feel the same way? There was something exciting about approaching a vending machine with just 35 cents in my pocket. Back in the day, that small amount of change could go a long way. I would stand there, carefully analyzing my options, strategizing the best choice to get the most enjoyment.

Once I made my selection, I would take a quarter and a dime, insert them into the coin slot, and press the button. Who remembers the metal spiral? You know what I’m talking about—the small metal coil that slowly turned, pushing the snack forward, whether it was a bag of chips, a Ding Dong, or something else. Eventually, the treat would drop into the retrieval slot, right within my grasp. I loved that feeling.

Let me drop a few nostalgic names—just for fun, not as a paid promotion! Back in the day, it wasn’t about Coke or Pepsi; we had Orange Crush and Mello Yello. When it came to candy, it was all about Blow Pops, Jolly Ranchers, or Hubba Bubba bubble gum. And for snacks? Zingers, Little Debbie Honey Buns, and Chili Cheese Fritos were the top choices.

But as much as I loved vending machines, I also hated them—especially when they stole my money. Have you ever had this happen? You insert your coins, press the button, watch the spiral spin, see your snack start to move… and then—it gets stuck. The frustration! You feel cheated, ripped off. And what do you do? You shake the machine, bang on it, or demand your money back.

Here’s the problem: many of us treat God like a vending machine. Instead of inserting coins, we put in our good behavior, church attendance, Bible reading, and tithes. Then we press the “prayer button” and expect God to give us exactly what we asked for. After all, we’re serving God, so our loved ones should be healed. We attend church regularly, so we should pass the test—even if we didn’t study. We’ve kept an 11-day Bible reading streak in the YouVersion app, so we should get the job, even if we’re not the most qualified.

But here’s the truth: God is not a vending machine, and faith is not a contract. Without realizing it, many of us fall into what I call cause-and-effect faith. We assume that if we do our part, God is obligated to do His. This mindset turns our faith into a transaction. And when God doesn’t answer our prayers exactly the way we want, we feel frustrated, hurt, or even betrayed.

Today, I want to expose one of the most dangerous lies that keeps people from true faith—the lie of transactional faith. What is transactional faith? It’s the belief that if we do our part, God must do His. This deceptive mindset distorts our understanding of faith and causes many people to walk away from God and the church.

But here’s what the Bible teaches: True faith is relational, not transactional. Genuine faith is about knowing and loving God for who He is—not just for what He does. Trusting in God means believing in His goodness, even when things don’t go our way.

So today, let’s pray together:

Heavenly Father,
We ask in the name of Jesus that Your Holy Spirit would bring healing to our hearts. Draw us closer to You, not because we want something from You, but simply because we love You. Help us to develop a deep, intimate relationship with You, based on trust and faith in who You are.

We pray this in Jesus’ name.
And all God’s people said: Amen!

If you’re watching online, type “Amen” in the comments!

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