In last week’s lesson on faith, we learned that faith is grown through the use of a two-fold process: First we must meditate upon the Word of God; and secondly, we must put to practice what we’ve learned through the trials that ultimately will come our way. In summary, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom 10:17); and “we also rejoice in tribulation, for tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” (Rom 5:3-5)
This final lesson on faith is a real-time example of faith being grown in my life today.
I am currently being assaulted by a rather trialing situation. This is something that I have to deal with on a weekly basis, and when week 1 rolled around, my attitude was far from perfect. In fact, in coining the expressions I have so often used with my 11 year-old son, my attitude stank and was in desperate need of an adjustment!
I didn’t bother going into the situation with any defenses in place. The entire thing was wrong; the person pushing it on me was in the wrong; and God was wrong in telling me I had to listen to this person! In all honesty, I thought (hoped??) The it would all go away after that first week, and I wouldn’t have to deal with it any more.
Guess what. It didn’t.
During the following week, God spoke to me through my conscience. He succeeded, in part anyway, to convince me that this was from Him, and I was brought to the point where I admitted to Him that I had been wrong. But by this time my pride had flared. There was NO WAY I was going to ACT as if I knew this thing was of God!
And with my pride firmly in place, when week 2 rolled around, I forgot everything God had been telling me. It wasn’t long (seconds, really!) Before my anger flared out at the person who had brought this situation into being, and as so easily happens when I become angry, forgiveness became impossible. I couldn’t forgive; I didn’t want to; and I didn’t even see the need.
Is it any wonder that depression soon set in?
The next morning, God, in His mercy, tenderly reminded me that He was in charge. This time He did so through a very specific Bible text that He placed in my mind. He reminded me that I needed to leave the details to Him, and that something ultimately good would come out of this situation.
For the first time in 48 hours, I felt at peace. I forgave, and the anger and depression melted away. It was a wonderful week.
As that time the following week rolled around, I felt strong. Strong enough to prevail! After all, hadn’t I already forgiven?
But I made one fateful mistake: I allowed myself to dwell on a tiny seed of regret . . .
Before I knew it, I was angry again, and the unforgiveness and depression quickly set in. The day, along with the blessing, was ruined.
The next morning, God led me through a series of Bible texts, each one confirming beyond a doubt that He was in charge of this situation, that it was to His glory. Again, I was overcome with peace, I forgave, and the anger and depression melted away. But God wasn’t done with me yet. That entire week He feed me Bible texts. In fact, every song I heard, every Bible message on the radio, every situation I found myself in, every devotional I read to my kids, each one screamed out the same message: God is in control! Give God your pride and your regret! Allow good to come out of this situation!
I don’t know what this week will bring when “trial time” once again comes around. I am certainly still being tempted to be angry, but each time, I meditate upon the Scriptures God has given me. And the more I keep meditating on these Truths, the stronger in the Lord I become.
Did you note the progression here? First God gave me the opportunity to see that my faith in Him wasn’t yet strong enough to withstand the trial without any specific Word from Him. When I failed, He gave me a Word, but just one. Why? Because He wanted to show me that I was prideful to think I could overcome so easily, so much on my own power. And now, in His mercy, God has covered me with Words from Him. I will prevail this time, on His strength, not my own, and I can already hear God rejoicing.
However, there is a certain sadness in His voice. I can hear Him say to me, as He said to doubting Thomas who refused to believe Jesus was alive until he had seen Him with his own eyes: “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29 NIV). Or in God’s modern-day words: “My child, you and I know each other pretty well by now. When will you start to believe without having to make me repeat myself?”
This concludes the series on Faith. My only prayer is that by studying these acts of simple faith, your own faith has been strengthened.
God bless you!
Lyn
Lyn Chaffart, Author, Moderator, The Nugget, Scriptural Nuggets website, www.scripturalnuggets.org , Answers2Prayer Ministries, www.Answers2Prayer.org .
(To access tne entire “Faith” mini-series, please click here.)