Keeping Faith When It's Hard

I have no problem believing in God but I often struggle with believing that He will do all He promises in His word. It's a struggle between theology and reality, and faith is the only thing that will close that gap. I don't want to just say "I believe" I want to say "I KNOW" with an unfailing faith and conviction that stands strong even when my circumstances say otherwise. 

I believe what God says about Himself and to believers in the Bible. Either these things are true because God's Word is true, or they are a lie. And if I believe that God's word is true then I have to believe all of it. If He says He is my provider, then I must not doubt His provision. If He says He hears me when I cry out to Him, then I must not live like He doesn't even if the answer doesn't come immediately. If He promises I can do all things through Jesus Christ, then I need to take it and run with it.

If I trust Him with my eternal life and salvation - and I do - then I have no choice but to also trust Him with the daily things and the hard things in life.  I need to be able to trust Him with my friend Diane who recently completed months of chemo, radiation, and a mastectomy for breast cancer only to find out last week that the cancer has metastisized to her bones.  We don't know what the future holds for her but God does so that's where she and her friends and family need to put their faith.  (Update: Diane left this earthly life soon after this was written and is healed and whole in heaven.)

Faith is hard for me sometimes because I rely so much on feelings. If I don't "feel" God at work then I may doubt His presence, but scripture says in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." My favorite definition of faith is that it is taking God at His word regardless of what we think or feel. Faith is also important because as Hebrews 11:6 says, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

So what do I do when my faith seems weak and I'm having a hard time believing God? I take God at His word regardless of what I think or feel. I meditate on Hebrews 4:12-16 that tells me the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, that God is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of my heart so He is able to take what I believe and help me with my unbelief; that I am not hidden from His sight, that in Him I have a great high priest who can sympathize with my weaknesses, because He Himself was tempted in all things as I am (yet without sin); and that I can draw near with confidence (boldness) to the throne of grace to find mercy and grace in my time of need. Those are powerful promises.

I am reminded of the centurion who came to Jesus, asking him to heal his daughter. Jesus was prepared to go with him but the man said if Jesus would just speak the word, his daughter would be healed because as someone in authority himself, he recognized the authority of Jesus' word. Jesus responded that he never found such faith in all of Israel.

Taking God at His word is where my faith needs to begin and end. Scripture says heaven and earth will pass away before one stroke of God's word will pass away. That means the world will have to end before God's word is not true. That's what my faith must be grounded in regarless of who is president, what is happening economically, in sickness or health, in good times or bad.  What the Lord did for anyone in scripture He can do for anyone today. I just need to rest in the authority of His word, who He says He is, what He says He can do, and who He says I am in Him.

Strength For the Moment, Trust For What's Ahead

"God does not give us overcoming life - He gives us life as we overcome. The strain of life is what builds our strength. If there is no strain, there will be no strength. Once you face the strain, you will immediately get the strength. If you completely give of yourself physically, you become exhausted. But when you give of yourself spiritually, you get more strength. God never gives us strength for tomorrow, or for the next hour, but only for the strain of the moment."
- Oswald Chambers, My Utmost For His Highest

This is probably the hardest lesson for me in my faith walk. I forget that God works best in my trials, giving what I need for the moment. Often all I can see is how impossible the situation is and wonder why He isn't doing anything or why I’m not making progress. I want to fast-forward to the end even if means I learn nothing along the way. I end up exhausted because I try to work it all out in my own power, lacking the patience to let Him lead me through it one step at a time so I emerge from the valley spiritually stronger and wiser. Often my short-cuts end up being the most difficult route to the destination.

A scripture I often meditate on to help keep God in my moments is Psalm 119:105: "Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." The lesson in that verse is that God lights each step for me, one step at a time, no matter what the situation. It's like walking along a dark path with a flashlight. It doesn't do any good to shine the light too far ahead because I might miss something right in front of me that may cause me to stumble. Or, by looking too far ahead I may see things I don’t understand or fear and be tempted to turn the other way, going right back to where I started. Instead, I keep the flashlight shining closer to my feet and the next few steps so I can see what is there.

That's what God wants to do in my walk with Him. He wants to light my path one step at a time, one strain or trial at a time, and trust Him for what I can't see further down the road. I can have confidence that He is a trustworthy guide because He has already been there.