What is Faith?

I was reading my journal yesterday and I found a couple of entries that I thought I should share. Some of this is word for word, some was left out and the rest is bonus! This has very little to do with Tiepogovogo or anywhere in Côte d’Ivoire as far as sharing what life is like, just a heads up so you don’t read the whole thing just to be disappointed. This is something the Lord has been teaching me even before I came, but especially here. Enjoy!

What is faith? What is trusting God really all about? Why doesn’t God just give us all we pray for? What does it really mean to pray in Jesus’ name? These are all things that I have been praying about and that the Holy Spirit has been teaching me through all of his usual means. Yes faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we can not see (Heb 11:1), but how do we know where to put our hope and what unseen things should we be certain of. My definition for faith has been for a long time, to trust and believe in what God has said. Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Gen 15:6). What has he actually said though? He has said that he loves me and always will no matter what I do because of what Christ has done (Rom 8:37-38). He has said that my sins are as far from me as the west is from the east (Ps 103:12) because of the blood of the lamb. He has said that he loves the nations and that the gospel is for all peoples. He has said that he is a jealous God a consuming fire (Deut 4:24) and that he cares about his glory. He has taught me that his glory is the best thing to be had, it breaks chains, bursts open prison doors, sets the captives free. It administers justice, takes care of his own, it works all things together for good. His Glory is found in all of these things and it does all of these things. It is the best thing to be zealous for because it accomplishes all that He is about.

Still, no one is exempt from the curse. We all get sick, some more or worse than others but sick none the less. We all loose loved ones and we all die. Things go wrong in our lives, or at least not the way we planned them. Everyone has to deal with this entropy, and something deep inside screams, this is not the way it should be, and it is so true. But we assume that the Lord wants us to be exempt from the curse. He never said that. Until we leave this earth we will all have to live under the curse, even if we are the strongest most upright believer on earth. But even this gives glory to God. Would we really seek him if we didn’t have problems? Would we look for him if everything were fine and dandy? Even if we did, would we grow without hardship? He is the very best thing for us and so he puts things in our lives that draw us to him. This is a hard topic, because it is so saturated with pain and hurt for many. Loosing half of my extended family falls in that category. It was more than I could bare on my own, especially as a child. But I know a love, peace and joy in God that I would have never known otherwise and I am better for it. God is a compassionate God, full of love and mercy. He does not crush a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick (Mat 12:20). He delights in bringing life out of death and healing out of hurt, these things show us his glory.

His glory includes his love, power, grace, mercy, justice, provision, it is all encompassing and therefore all I need to pray for, hope for and seek. It is the means by which he works and the means by which we see him, but it takes a lifetime to even begin to fathom. So every time I find that things are not going my way, I’m not fully supported, I have yet another bad cold or life is just plain difficult, I know that God is working on me and that I can trust him no matter what the outcome is. I can trust that I will grow because of it and that his glory will be seen (Rom 5:1-5).  I can trust that even that bad or difficult thing will work towards my good (Rom 8:38). When he doesn’t say yes to my prayers he has something better in mind, it might be harder, more painful, but way better at the same time. God is all sovereign, all wise and all knowing and what’s more, he loves me enough to come and conquer death for me. That’s right he died and rose again for you and me. Isn’t that the ultimate love? We have grown so use to the idea, but really nobody else would dear do that. So where is fear? It is left out, or at least thrown out (1Jn 4:18). Where is despair? It is replaced with praise that you wear (Is 61:3). Where is boasting? It is not in the picture at all (Rom 3:28).  It is faith not works, so God gets the glory and life is produced and abounds, freedom is found and hope is alive.  Glory to God who is worthy to be praised and trusted forever and ever amen!
Thanks for reading and may this year be full of faith and trust in our Lord!