"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1
There are times when I'm taken aback because someone tells me that I have a lot of faith. I like to think that's because God is always faithful, and every time He comes through it builds that faith. At the same time, I don't feel like I have a special measure of faith. I have doubts, and I have questions, but I think the important thing is to bring those doubts and questions to God. Sometimes there are reminders of past experiences, or what He's said in His Word, or new evidence that removes the doubt. Sometimes He answers the questions. Sometimes the answer to the doubts and questions is, "Do you believe that you can trust Me even if you never find out how or why things are the way they are?" So I guess that my faith comes from getting to know God's faithfulness. How can I say I have faith if it can be shaken by circumstances to the point of losing that faith? The circumstances may have suddenly changed, but that doesn't mean that God has. He has an unbroken track record of being faithful and trustworthy.
That certainly doesn't mean I'm a giant of faith, there are things that I realize as they come up that I've been holding onto, and maybe it's because I don't have the trust in God that I ought to have.
One area that I'm not sure if it's a strong or weak point of faith for me is physical healing. I know that Isaiah 53:5 says we are healed by His wounds, and I know of people who have been healed. I also know of people who have not been healed, including the Apostle Paul, with his 'thorn in the flesh'. There are certainly times when our sufferings now help us identify with Christ, build character, and help others in the future who might be going through similar things. If you believe, as some people do, that all Christians are supposed to be perfectly healthy, then my faith is very small in this area.
Here's my thought on the subject. Where are you placing your faith? In the act of healing that you're praying for? What if God says, "No"? How many people have had their faith shattered because it was dependent on the outcome? How many people have firmly believed that God is our Healer, and yet been told by others that they weren't healed because they didn't have enough faith? That makes me angry. How much faith do you need if that hero of the faith, Paul, was not healed, and a boy whose father said to Jesus, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24) If your faith is in the healing, it will be dependent on the outcome. If the answer is "Wait," or "No," instead of accepting that answer you'll start looking around for where the shortfall in faith lies.
What if your faith is in the Healer? I believe that in any prayer for healing, you will be confident that God can and does heal, and that He knows what the best outcome will be in this case according to His plan. If He says "Yes," all the glory will be given to Him, if He says "Wait," or "No," He still gets the glory, it doesn't shake your faith in Him, and you still know you can trust His plan.
God, I ask for more faith, and yet more faith. I trust that You are good, and You work all things out according to Your plan, and for Your glory. Help me to overcome my unbelief and trust You even more. Amen.
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