3 Reasons You (We) Need Faith Right Now
Week 4 - NEVER GIVE UP: How to Pursue God in our Present Times
Five-year old Ella grimaced and screamed at the top of her lungs. Her face three shades of red as the doctors and her own mother, I, held her down. She needed shots to numb her toe so her nail could be removed.
Just yesterday, as I lay on top of Ella pinning her down and feeling every bit of her anguish, the only hope I held onto, the only faith I had was in the doctors and in knowing healing would come.
In the midst of the pain, uncertainty, financial devastation and loss in our world, faith is needed now more than ever. Some are feeling good. Some are wrecked. But the reality is that no matter how you feel, the future is clouded with an uncertain new normal no matter what boat you are in.
And that is why faith is what you and I need right now, in the very depths of our souls.
Week 4 - NEVER GIVE UP: How to Pursue God in our Present Times
Five-year old Ella grimaced and screamed at the top of her lungs. Her face three shades of red as the doctors and her own mother, I, held her down. She needed shots to numb her toe so her nail could be removed.
Just yesterday, as I lay on top of Ella pinning her down and feeling every bit of her anguish, the only hope I held onto, the only faith I had was in the doctors and in knowing healing would come.
In the midst of the pain, uncertainty, financial devastation and loss in our world, faith is needed now more than ever. Some are feeling good. Some are wrecked. But the reality is that no matter how you feel, the future is clouded with an uncertain new normal no matter what boat you are in.
And that is why faith is what you and I need right now, in the very depths of our souls.
Faith is tricky because by definition, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1).
Hear that again. Faith is having confidence and hope though nothing you can see gives you any reason to. Though nothing you see is giving you any hope or giving you any confidence, you have both hope and confidence.
That is faith.
And I am not sure about you but that is what I need.
So let’s dive into Week 4 of our Never Give Up Series and take a read of 2 Corinthians 4:13-15 as it will give us 3 reasons why we need faith, right now.
It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God (2 Corinthians 4:13-15 NIV).
1. When we have faith, Jesus’ victory has the final word, not our fears.
Paul who authored this passage was confident in the ultimate victory in Christ. This confidence gave perspective to everything he endured and he endured much. Prison and persecution to sum up the big stuff. But if Christ conquered death, what else was there to fear? His faith in the victory of Christ gave perspective to everything he navigated.
In this moment, we can remember our fears don’t have the final word, our faith does. And as Warren Wiersbe puts it, “Until a person is prepared to die, he is not really prepared to live. The joyful message of the early church was the victory of Christ over death, and we need to return to that victorious emphasis.”
But what if you’re not sure your faith will have the final word because you’re not sure of what you have faith in, if you have faith at all.
Well good because right now there is a bigger God story going on and the play was put on for you.
Don’t miss the nugget in this passage that says, “so that the grace that is reaching more and more people…” Okay so we have an incomplete and confusing phrase here but here is the heart of God, our second reason to have faith right now.
2. When we have faith, grace can be experienced by you, me, and by all.
Here and all over Scripture we see God’s heart for people. “This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time (1 Timothy 2:3-6 NLT).
God desires you. He desires you to experience his grace. He wants you. Died for you. Paid the price for you. And your price was high! He paid your ransom with the very life of his only son. His son is now your ticket to the play! He’s our in.
Christ Jesus reconciles us, joins us to the family of God. Receiving his grace is the only way we get in, there is nothing we can do or buy. Grace is what we experience as we run into the arms of the Father again and again, thanks to putting our faith in Jesus.
3. When we have faith, gratitude has the chance to overflow.
The final portion of this passage reminds us that faith in the victory and grace of God will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. When gratitude takes up residence in our hearts what else is there room for? Personally when I let gratitude take the floor, worship is soon to follow. The practice of gratitude could be a book in itself so I’m not going to dwell there.
But what I am wrestling with is the idea that if faith is what we need in this moment, how do we get more of it? I am recollecting seasons I’ve had strong belief but then doubt creeps in. I am wondering about moments I’ve been faith-filled and moments later that I’ve been faithless.
So if you are wondering where we go from here’s the invitation. The invitation is to run into the arms of our Father and ask him for faith. Just ask him for it!
We aren’t new territory for God, Aa group of people who believe but then struggle with unbelief. He’s not shocked to have faithful followers who moments later are pretty faithless. And everything he does is to go after those that have no faith at all, if you find yourself in that camp.
Take a look at this authentic prayer of a man who desired Jesus to heal his boy. “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief” (Mark 9:24 NIV).
After this prayer, Jesus healed his boy. So let’s come to our good Father with the same authenticity and vulnerability, our prayer in essence is, “Father we have faith in you, but give us faith in moments we are faithless.”
Father, we do believe. We do have faith. But when we struggle with unbelief or have patches of faithlessness make our belief and our faith strong again. Give us faith right now Lord in your victory, in your grace, and may gratitude overflow. If we’re in the camp of being new to this idea of placing our faith in you, we receive your gracious gift. We acknowledge we are sinners and need Jesus to save us from our sins and reconcile us to you. We want in. We surrender our lives to your saving grace and your relentless love. We are now yours, children of God! Remind us of your victory. Remind us of your grace. Bring us back to faith in you. Bring us back to a confidence and hope in what we do not see but a confidence and hope in you. Amen.
Reflection:
On a scale of 0 to 5, how would you rate your faith right now? Explain.
What “reason” for needing faith right now spoke to you the most and why?
Journal your fears or discuss with another. Pray for one another or write a prayer laying your fears out before God.
If you desire more faith, ask God for it. Read Mark 9:14-27 and see what you can learn from the boy’s father and Jesus as you ask.
NOTE: Next week we wrap up the Never Give Up series and June will be all about infusing some life and inspiration in our roles as parents, no matter what stage we find ourselves in though the lens and wisdom of a variety of guest bloggers! I can’t wait to introduce you to some of the amazing people in our world!