Monday, December 13, 2021

I'll Always Choose Faith


He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence! Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” Mark 4:39,40

Faith is a word we toss around so often we may forget its motivation. Humans without faith are like robots. Without faith, we do not live well, for faith is constructive. We don't just wake up every day and wash, rinse, repeat. Faith just may be the force that keeps us going. We exercise faith to get us through this life.

Recently, we had a memorial service for my mother-in-love at her home church in Jamaica. Before remembering those who passed in 2020, the pastor preached on faith. He spoke from the classic faith chapter - Hebrews 11 but focused on the last verses of those who exhibited faith but didn't have a good outcome here on earth.

As the pastor spoke, he crystallized a thought that many of us struggle with - faith doesn't always have a good outcome. We say we're exercising faith when we think we know the result, and it's usually something positive. Faith isn't often thrown around when it seems we're at the end of the road. When we've failed the exam; messed up the job interview; lost the house; survived the unthinkable. 

Hebrews 11:36-40 describes the results of some of the faith failures: tortured, stoned, mocking, scourgings, imprisonment, death by the sword. Therefore these words are also part of our faith journey - failure, mess-ups, loss, and survival. Because all of these words have a bounce-back quotient that's emblematic of faith

Though these descriptions are complex, I know for sure that choosing faith in God makes you stronger, and more than that, it's approved by God himself. When my situations don't make sense, I'll look at Who instead of asking why. I won't focus on the storm but on the God in the storm. Acting in faith enables me to see what God is truly capable of. I'll always choose faith no matter the outcome.

Prayer - Loving God, sometimes we feel faithless, wrung dry by life's circumstances. Help us to cling to you. That's our first act of faith. Then may we act in faith, for You have the power over everything. When things don't go as we anticipate, strengthen us. Increase our faith. Calm our spirits, so we hear your voice. Amen.

--Nylse

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5 comments:

  1. Than you for your honesty Nylse. Too often we glamorize the Christian walk, making it look like we walk through a valley of roses without thornes. We set new believers up for failure. Faith is not trusting the miracle but trusting the God who can perform miracles and know that if he chooses not to, his plan will manifest as a Romans 8:28 outcome.

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  2. I've been considering this very verse myself this past week! It is a hard truth to accept, but faith isn't in an outcome, it is in the person of Jesus Christ. He is rescuing us. Sometimes it's from storm. Sometimes it's while we are enduring the storm. Our call is to be faithful in trusting the Lord no matter the outcome. Thank you for affirming what the Lord is encouraging me in recently!

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  3. Trusting God and keeping our faith allows us to hold onto Hope. No, things may not go the way we want, but God's plans are perfect, and He will see us through every time.

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  4. Your post made me think of something I heard a while back, actually two things. One: We Christians often make our Christian walk all about us...what He will do for us, instead of for His Great Name Sake. I think he said, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me. He came to this earth, Yes to forgive us our sins but mostly He came to transform us back into Himself which is love.
    The second thought I had was something else I have learned lately. "If you are not doing good you are probably not believing good. The Christain life is as you wrote a life of faith. It is important I beleive right. Thank you for sharing wisdom. I enjoyed your post!

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  5. We have tended to think that having faith means things will go well with us, we will never face struggles or pain, and we will get what we desire. Faith is what tethers us to God, keeping us steadfast in the midst of the storms. Faith is what keeps us journeying with God for all of our days, no matter what is occurring or the outcome. May the Lord be with your family and bring His comfort to each one.

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