22. Faith…
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we can’t see. Through their faith the people in days of old earned a good reputation.
Hebrews 11:1-2
Now all the glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20
When I had my first pregnancy confirmed I had to have an awful lot of faith that the tiny, unseen being within me would, over a number of months, grow into a fully formed baby with arms, legs, etc. – our child who would then grow up to become the wonderful man that he is today at 45 years of age!
Both times that I was diagnosed with cancer (breast and then laryngeal) I, once again, needed immense amounts of faith to see beyond what could have potentially been a death sentence, beyond all the treatment, to healing.
Faith is simply believing in something you cannot see as reality. It is confidence in God’s power and ability to deliver on his promises. It is aligning our wills and desires to him.
I couldn’t see our unborn child at the beginning of my pregnancy. I couldn’t see God’s healing when first diagnosed with cancer. I didn’t have a crystal ball that showed me the end product. I had to have faith in God for what I wanted to be reality at the end of the journey.
When we begin our dream journeys, when we set out to achieve what God has planted in our hearts, we can’t see and know the end product. We can have an idea of what it will look like, but the eventual outcome won’t be evident until it is a reality.
It is in theses in-between times that we are all vulnerable to attack. Without faith in God, we can go down the rabbit warren of doubt, of “what if”, of fear and anxiety. In John 20 we read the account of Thomas’ doubt – he needed to have physical proof that Jesus was alive – his faith failed him:
One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.” Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!
John 20: 24-27
Thomas did believe when he saw and felt the living proof of Jesus’ resurrection. But then Jesus said to him:
You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.
John 20:29
As each of us lives our daily lives of ups and downs we must keep on believing that God will keep his promises. That he will fulfil our dreams and bring to fruition the purposes he has placed in us.
Prayer: Lord, it is not always easy to keep on believing when things seem to be taking a turn for the worse and my desires are not being met. Yet, I know you were faithful to me in the past and you will be faithful in the present and the future. Help me to believe, to trust in you for all your desires for me.
Amen
Action: Determine that you will not be a doubting Thomas. Resolve to believe that what is now unseen is real right now. Have faith that God has already accomplished what he has planted in you. Then take hold of it with him and watch your dream evolve.
Journal your thoughts:
