FAITH LIKE A ROCK

Living the real life of faith means you will never know where you’re going to end up. It requires trusting Someone who is leading you that you can’t see. Faith, not understanding or reason, is a life designed around knowing God who calls you to go and trusting Him with all the things you can’t figure out.

One of the biggest traps I’ve fallen into over the years is idea that if I just have enough faith God will bring me the success I want in this world. But that's just not real. You may argue that God does promise to prosper us and give us success, but perception can be deception if you limit your understanding to Webster’s definition of the word “prosper”. The Bible’s definition is very different from his, though they can cross paths along the way. Real success for the true believer in the God of the Bible is not what we think it is based on our limited human and very worldly media driven understanding. The success God wants us to have where we prosper the most is all about our knowing Him. The more we know Him, the greater our personal level of wisdom, which inspires a much higher level of knowledge producing what can be defined as true understanding. If you think that sounds ethereal or otherworldly… well, maybe so, but what does that have to do with true success or arriving at our destination? Everything, for the final stage in a life of faith is the ultimate attainment of true character, but in the progressive attaining of that character we will encounter many significant changes along the way; ones that, if we are honest, needed to take place.

The life of faith is not one glorious mountaintop experience after another or, as it is so often romantically stated, “soaring on eagles’ wings high above the fray”, but the day in and day out grinding it out myriad of experiences, all the while attempting to walk without fainting-though we will faint, trusting without seeing-though we will struggle to believe, and engage without doubting-though doubt cast its dark shadow over every one of our fragile minds.

It's not a question of whether holiness comes with sanctification, but something far deeper… it’s about the sweet fruit that comes much further down the road than we ever wished or imagined. Faith will be tested and proved so that it will stand even when all around it is crumbling. Abraham is not just an example of the holiness of sanctification, but a clear picture of the life a simple man can have when he lives in a close intimate relationship with the Creator of all things. This kind of faith is tried and true, built solely on the solid foundation of trusting the One True God. As it was said of Abraham, so it should be said of us, “Abraham believed God…” This is pure righteousness and sanctification purified by the fire of God’s love.

Maybe for you the tests have seemed too hard or unfair? Maybe the course you've been on has ended in disaster and the pressure is just too much to bear? Maybe you feel God doesn’t hear, or care… or maybe for someone reading, all hope is gone?

Let me encourage you right now as you read this, no matter what you may "feel" today, no matter what you have gone through, no matter what losses you may have incurred or pain endured, STOP! Right now, wherever you are, choose to change your mind... lift up your hands to Him though you are buried in despair. Right there, right now, tell Him that no matter what it looks like, right this very minute tell Him you believe. Say it out loud so your soul can hear! Repeat what Job said, “Though You slay me, (though You crush me) yet will I praise You!” God knows, God hears and God cares.

Whatever circumstances you may find yourself in, God has allowed it. The way God perfects us is exactly the same way perfection is wrought in nature. It is by pressure the finest of all things are brought into existence like: oil, diamonds, gold, perfume and many other fine things. So it is with God! He uses the pressures of our circumstances to perfect us. We can’t comprehend it because we don’t like it or think that we need it, but we do!  

So I encourage you, agree with God that it is necessary and allow Him to have His way with your life. Tell Him to BRING IT ON! I promise you, if you do you will begin to smell the sweet fragrance you destined to become and your radiance will be like that of pure gold and your brightness like the clearest diamond reflecting the sun.

Living by faith as Abraham did most often reveals that where we are going is never really known until we get there. That takes trust… and trust takes faith. And this is His promise to those who will welcome His path, "those who trust in the Lord will NOT be disappointed". For the one who believes, failing is never failure, it’s only a correction in the course.

© 2013 Steven Bliss
If you like this article, please spread it around! Hit the share buttons below! Your comments are always welcome; please feel free. Thanks!