Saturday 1 December 2018

Fragile Faith


Imagine you trust someone totally, without any hesitation or doubt . You trust that person with your life and you know for sure that they would never let you down, betray you, or in any way hurt you.

I suppose, that is having faith in an individual. To trust someone to the extreme. That's faith.

Christ often spoke about faith. He said if we had very little faith, as little as a mustard seed, we could move mountains. Often, when He healed people He said: Your faith has healed you. Has made you well.

What He meant is, "Your faith in Me, in my power to heal you, to want to heal you, has made me heal you. Your faith has made you well."

So in essence, our faith and our trust in God, in Jesus, is the basis by which, through which, we are healed. The basis through which our prayers are answered. Our faith, our trust, opens the door, the channel, the opportunity for God to answer our prayers, and give us healing, or whatever we ask for, both for ourselves and for others.

So, if faith is the key, the first step, to answered prayers. Then where does faith come from?

Is it something we have ourselves? Something we create and build within us? We decide to have faith, to have trust, in God?

Or is faith a gift from God. Through His grace we have faith. Perhaps in different amounts depending on who we are.

What if we are one of those people whose faith is frail. Weak. Hesitant.

We may have faith when things are going OK in our lives; but then when things go wrong, really wrong, we hesitate. We are not so sure that God is listening. Will listen. Whether He will respond positively to our prayers and our needs.

What if our faith is fragile in times of crisis?

Is that our fault? Is it because we are somehow found wanting in our beliefs? Or is it because this is the amount of faith we have been give by the grace of God?

Don't misunderstand me here ... I am not saying that it is God's fault if I do not have enough faith.

What I am asking is how culpable am I if in my moment of weakness, in my moment of fear, in my moment of confusion, I am not so sure whether God will listen and answer my prayers.

And that's when anxiety sets in. Anxiety opens the door to many other evils. Doubt steps in and plays havoc with our beliefs, with our teaching, and with the very essence of what makes us who we are. And this is the devil's playground to use our worries and fears to his own ends.

The disciples had their moments of doubts. Of fears and worries. And of lack of faith. Peter is an excellent example. Thomas too perhaps. No doubt you can think of other examples, like all of them who ran away when Jesus was arrested.

Did they behave in such a way because their faith was weak? Or because they had not been given enough faith by God's grace?

What kept them going? What kept them hold on to their faith and strengthen it even?

Was it the Holy Spirit when He descended on them at Pentecost?

In my frequent moments of weakness I pray: "I believe, Lord; help my unbelief." Mark 9:24

12 comments:

  1. Yes, it is interesting that faith and unbelief can be found in the same heart.
    Important to remember that we can call in the "big guns" for help. Beautiful post, Victor.

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    1. Thank you Chris. Faith can be tested often. It's a question of keeping believing.

      God bless.

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  2. When times aren’t going well, we ask God for help, guidance or whatever. Maybe your faith takes a step backward but that’s not because of a lack of belief or faith. That’s because we are human and that is what humans do. God knows what is going on. A moment of weakness just shows that you are human. We ask, we pray, and we must have faith that things will settle themselves eventually. I believe that is all we can do.

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    1. That's a very wise thing to say, Bill. Thank you so much. I believe you are right.

      God bless you, my friend.

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  3. My faith has never stumbled and I fall. Faith has held me up and still does. In the hardest moments of my life, I cry out to God and He always always is there.

    When my brother Robert developed a fatal brain tumor (he was 10 months younger than I am), I was so very angry with God. I cried out to Him and He lifted me. Robert turned to God, developed a strong faith.

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    1. Thank you for your story and experiences, Susan. They are of great help to others.

      God bless.

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  4. Even when my faith stumbles I still ask God to renew it.
    I believe that God answers all prayers but not always the way we expect Him to. We have to trust that He knows the answers better than we do. After all He is THE expert...it is what He does for a living :)

    Blessings Victor 💮

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    1. This is so true, Jan. God answers prayers in His own time and in His own way. Often, we forget this.

      God bless you.

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  5. God bless you, Victor, for inspiring us to search and think and find strength in our faith!

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    1. Thank you Terri. This means a lot to me.

      God bless you always.

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  6. Great questions, all. Best? Your closer. Oh yes, help my unbelief!

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    1. Thank you Mevely. Faith and trust are often tested. But not beyond our endurance.

      God bless.

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