What is faith?
“Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance for what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:1
I am currently walking through a challenging season with no end in sight. I keep praying that God will turn a heart-breaking situation around, and He may choose to answer this prayer with immediate deliverance. But more likely, the road to redemption is a long one with many twists.
God isn’t changing the situation as much as He is seeking to change me.
Faith grows in times of trial
So much of the Bible focuses on human suffering. In the New Testament, there are abundant examples that say trials are good for us as believers and verses that indicate suffering comes with the territory. More than that, we are called to it, as much as we might wish otherwise.
“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” – James 1: 2-4
Faith that points others to God almost always shows up in difficulties. I’m realizing that faith requires challenges to grow. Faith without works is dead (James 2:17, 26), and the verses above say that faith without trials is weak and immature.
Sometimes I think that the examples of faith today are those who have achieved something great and point others to God, like the championship-winning athlete who gives glory to God first in their post-game interview.
But more often, faith shines like a light in the darkness.
The most powerful examples of faith come from those who have a trusting peace in the face of extreme trials and even tragedy.
Faith is a choice
Faith is a choice to believe God in the middle of hard circumstances.
Several days ago, I read a short devotion on biblegateway.com from Miriam, a woman in the African country of Burkina Faso. Saved From the “Lionʼs Den” (6/8/2023) – Encouragement for Today – Bible Gateway Devotionals
She, her daughters, her pastor, and several others were kidnapped by a group of terrorists. One of the terrorists forced her to become his wife, and she became pregnant.
She prayed that God would deliver her, like Daniel, from the Lion’s Den.
One night, she and her daughters risked their lives and escaped. When she reunited with her husband, he and her in laws accepted the pregnancy and later loved the child as their own.
So often I complain to God about my situation and plead for it to end ASAP instead of choosing to wait on Him, believing that He will take it and make something beautiful from it.
There are many examples of this in the Bible, and the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 hits several of them.
By faith Noah endured the ridicule of his neighbors, building an ark to save his household and many animals.
By faith Abraham left his home to follow God’s leading, “not knowing where he was going” (v. 8). He and Sarah believed God would give them a son, even though they were far past child-bearing years. When God tested him, asking him to sacrifice that long-promised son, Abraham followed God.
By faith Rahab the prostitute risked her life to save the spies because she feared God more than the leaders around her.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” – Heb. 11:6
Some parts of my life don’t look anything like what I expected, or what I planned, or what I hoped. But the heart of faith is choosing to believe that God loves me and is working with His power to bring beauty from ashes.
Plans are good. We should make them. But don’t underestimate the power of plans gone awry. Some faith-shaping transformations are only possible by going through adversity.
Faith leads to comfort
Sometimes we go through seasons of heartbreak, but do our hearts become brittle because we turned bitter and refused to be comforted, or do we allow our hearts to become softer through God’s gentle molding? A softened heart seeks to comfort others.
“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.” – 2 Cor. 1:5-7
When we are by ourselves, God sends the Holy Spirit to comfort us. But the Body of Christ exists to glorify Him and to support one another. We are not meant to suffer alone all the time. God gave us community so that we could comfort one another.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to ask for help. I have a streak of independence (or stubbornness, depending on who you ask). If we allow others to comfort us, then the Body of Christ is fulfilling its purpose. We’re shining a light on our weakness and God’s strength.
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” – 2 Corinthians 1: 8-11
How can we pray in a way that blesses others? Where can we offer hands-on help?
May my current trial and yours be a reminder that our God is a comforter. May we choose to rejoice in Christ in the messy middle, trusting that He will deliver us, and discovering the ways we can comfort others. And may we give thanks when we find God’s “gracious favor” at work around us.
Related posts:
Drawing closer to God so we overflow with hope
Moving forward with joy and overcoming discouragement
Where is God when things go wrong?
Thank you for using the gift of beautiful & heartfelt writing God has given you Sandra. The verses & your insight apply to a heartbreaking situation of my own.
Somehow I missed your comment from all those months ago! Glad to know that my story helps you in your own heartbreaking situation. Lifting you up in prayer right now, my friend!