He told his story. His life took a turn into disappointment and loss due to poor choices he made and because of the sinful actions of others. He isolated himself, licked his wounds, and let his sadness turn into bitterness. While he was broken, he looked for solace to a woman other than his wife. When confronted with his sin and the need to repent, he refused, angrily justifying himself. So, did Sam lose his faith? No, he abandoned it.
These next few lines are not about seeking your compassion. I write for illustration. In the last 6 months, I have felt the deep pain of rejection, been falsely accused of things I did not do, and my wife has become seriously ill and faces a long, long road through treatment on the pathway to recovery. My faith was and is severely tested! My sorrow is so intense some days, that I cannot sense His Presence. Some mornings I do not even want to pray a simple prayer of thanks for my breakfast! I have felt the temptation to think that the God I loved and served for a half century has betrayed me. Have I lost faith? Not at all. What I lost is confidence in myself! God’s gift to me is a faith that rests on Him, that is anchored outside of my experience in His eternal promise. I understand Paul’s words in a whole new way when he speaks of a greater hope outside of this present life- “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21, NIV)
What I have found is another kind of faith – one that submits to the mystery of life, that trusts in God’s love against all evidence. Is that irrational? It would be if there was not the wisdom of Scripture and the experience of godly people. The Bible’s great faith chapter recounts the choices of many who lived with “the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen;” who had that faith supported “assurance about things we cannot see.” (Hebrews 11:1, NLT)
Faith is both a gift of God and a choice we make. Neither part can exist without the other. God, the Holy Spirit stirs faith in us. We choose to accept and live in it. Mark’s Gospel records an incident in which Jesus cursed a fig tree. The next day when the disciples were passing by they saw it withered and were astonished. “How did that happen?” they wondered. Listen to what Jesus told them. “Have faith in God!” (Mark 11:22, NIV) The Lord used an imperative voice that places responsibility for faith on the disciples. “You see this thing,” He said, “so exercise faith and believe.”
Faith must be nurtured by something more than what we see in this moment. Vital faith in God must be fed with the Truth, strengthened by prayer and meditation, and grown in obedience. The Word reminds us that “faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.” (Romans 10:17, NLT) We build faith if we trust the Lord in ever increasing ways. Many of the decisions that I make at this point in my life are grounded in a faith that would have been beyond me 25 years ago. I saw Christians of great, mature faith who stood without wavering and fearlessly moved ahead and I wanted to do what they. No amount of `wanting’ made it real! Faith has grown deeper and stronger through the tests and choices to trust the Lord, each new day.
You won’t just `lose your faith!’ God is faithful, even when we are faithless. But, you can abandon it, neglect it, and let it go dormant; OR, you can feed faith, pray for increased faith and let God lead you to a mature ability to trust Him `come Hell or high water.’
Here’s a word from the Word. Ponder it, pray it, live it!
“But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone.” (Psalm 73:2, NLT) “Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain.” (Psalm 73:13-14, NLT) “Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction.” (Psalm 73:17-18, NLT)
“I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.” (Psalm 73:22-26, NLT)
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Near To The Heart Of God
There is a place of quiet rest,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where sin cannot molest,
Near to the heart of God.
There is a place of full release,
Near to the heart of God.
A place where all is joy and peace,
Near to the heart of God.
O Jesus, blest Redeemer,
Sent from the heart of God,
Hold us who wait before Thee,
Near to the heart of God.
Cleland Boyd McAfee | Liz Wagley
© Words: Public Domain
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