Hebrews 11:1-2
What is faith? It is the confident
assurance that something we want is going to happen. It is the certainty
that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it
up ahead. Men of God in days of old were famous for their faith.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
On September 16, 2015, I
received an e-mail from my mother, telling me she had gone to the clinic
with a urinary tract infection…and during her exam, a nurse
practitioner discovered an abnormality on Mother’s stomach. The nurse
sent Mother to our local hospital for a CT-scan, where a mass was
found…and subsequent blood work and a biopsy were ordered. Mother said,
“Just pray that this mass is benign. God is in control. It will be
okay." In a subsequent message a few days later, Mother said, “This is
going to be OK—no matter what. Just going to be a battle ahead.”
And
it was a battle. As many of you know, my mother’s diagnosis was Stage
3C Ovarian Cancer, and the multiple tumors did not respond to
chemotherapy. In fact, they almost doubled in size in three months. On
January 12, 2016, my mother’s battle ended. And she continually
insisted that God was in control, but...“He has other plans.”
Like
the “men of God in days of old,” my mother was famous for her faith.
In reading through her Bible study workbooks and other writings, I can
see that what she hoped for more than anything was to see Jesus in
person – and to please Him while she was still on this earth. She could
not see exactly when – or how – this would happen…but she had faith
that it would indeed be so. And I have faith and confidence that she was right on both counts.
I
hear so many people say, “My faith is weak.” And I get that. There are
times when we all face challenges and obstacles that seem too big to
overcome. We will all face numerous situations that test – and
hopefully strengthen – our faith.
My mother noted that there was
“going to be a battle ahead”…but do not miss that she prefaced this
acknowledgment with a statement of faith…”This is going to be OK – no
matter what.” Herein lies the message for us. We don’t always know the
where, when, how or why of the things that happen to us. But when we
trust God…when we make a concerted effort to have faith that He is in
complete control of a perfect outcome…God will confirm this in ways that
we cannot even begin to imagine – and fill us with complete peace in
the process.
What sort of faith do you have these days? Do you
believe for the things that you want to happen…and trust God to bring
about the perfect end result? Or do you throw up your hands at the
first sign of trouble and say, “This is simply too much for me”…and
cower in a corner? The Bible is filled with examples of people who
exercised a strong “faith muscle” - and the sad story of some who
folded and let the devil have the victory.
I encourage you to
spend some time with God today and surrender your burdens and fears to
Him. Pray this prayer…”LORD…I don’t know what You have in store for
me…or how You plan to manage the events and challenges of my life. But I
give them all to You. I am filled with faith and confidence that You
know what lies ahead…and You are in complete control. I thank You for
loving me - and for Your perfect plans for my life. I surrender MY will
to YOURS with complete assurance that all will be well, according to
Your will. Amen.”
When others look at you, do they see someone
with a profound faith in God…or someone who operates in fear and
uncertainty? What is faith to you? Isn’t it time you knew?
©2016 Debbie Robus
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