The disciples woke Him up, shouting, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!” So Jesus rebuked the wind and the raging waves. The storm stopped and all was calm! Then He asked them, “Where is your faith?”
Still a relevant question for today. I still operate from fear at time – want to save enough, don’t want to take chances that might make me uncomfortable, be sure not to give too much and drop my account balances…
Where is my faith?
We have faith in many things. We believe that red traffic light eventually turn green. That new puppies love us. And to some degree, our children will, too.
We have faith that our paycheck won’t bounce. That the meal we prepared will satisfy our hunger. And that cloudy days will turn bright again. We do have faith in things.
Faith is trust or confidence in someone or something. We believe the results will happen as predicted and in many cases, hoped for.
It can be difficult to continue to have faith in God when we can’t see him or hear him (audibly, anyway). When times get difficult, I have sometimes struggled in wondering “why” and wondering if God is really involved in my life – or cares enough about me to give me a “good” outcome (good = the results I want).
There are many promises in scripture about having faith in hard times. Let’s face it, maybe of the notable people we read and hear about in the bible had really tough times. It’s easy for us to read about because it didn’t happen to us AND we know the end of the story. A very different thing while one is living in the story.
In Isaiah 41:10, the prophet writes, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
God the Father accepts our struggle to have faith while in our humanly doubt. He encourages us and reminds us that he is still God, is sovereign, holy and always in control. We come to him with the heart of a child, we cry “Abba” or “Daddy” and he encourages, strengthens and ensures us he here for us. My faith is built up in these times, although I don’t ask for struggles, it is through these that I meet the real and living God and am comforted.
Thank you for your sacrifice, Jesus, so that I am adopted into your family of believers that live for you, and sometimes only by and through our faith in you.
Richard Bahr 