Many people have been feeling fear and anxiety as Hurricane Irma came through the state of Florida. Some have even questioned whether or not God is with us and why are so many bad things happening that accompany these storms. The prior week Hurricane Harvey hit the state of Texas and many people lost their homes and are now living in shelters. Volunteers from all over the country have made their way there to help and now others will head to Florida to help in the rebuilding process. Why is there so much uncertainty and trials if God loves us?
Before reading further, I truly understand that none of us like this kind of adversity as it’s often accompanied by pain, tears, discouragement and upheaval especially when it has to do with the loss of a loved one, friend or our prized possessions. However, that being said, I’d like to address the topic of God’s faithfulness and how it applies in the midst of every storm or adversity. We often hear about the love of God, but then question Him when things don’t go the way we expect or want them to. We begin to ask, “Is His love for real?” or “Why does He let this happen?” It’s almost like God is supposed to get in agreement with what we perceive as being right instead of us getting in line with His plan for our lives. I am reminded of the scripture in the book of Romans 11:33, that says, “O’h how great are God’s riches, wisdom and knowledge, how impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and ways!”. If we could accept the fact that we can never fully comprehend the mind of God, we’d be more hesitant to question Him. He sees things that we, in our limited perspective, can never see unless He decides to reveal it.
That brings me to why it’s important for us to understand the faithfulness of God. Knowing His faithfulness brings meaning to the scripture in Romans Chapter 8 verse 28, “and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” For those who love God, this scripture confirms that He is faithful to work all things out for our good which is a form of His unfailing love. He may not work things out the way we expect or want, but, in the end, works them out for our best.
Supported by scripture, here are a few ways that I’ve come to know the faithfulness of God.
1. Hebrews 13:5. God will never leave nor forsake us. I have found that through every circumstance the Lord is there for me to call upon and seek His face in prayer and worship. He’s not just there in the good times but also in the not-so-good times. This assures us that no matter what we go through, God will walk with us through it. When we keep our spiritual eyes focused on Him and our awareness that He, the creator of the universe, who is all-powerful, all-knowing and ever-present, is with us it can bring us strength to endure the toughest of challenges, both today and in the future. I’ll take this to the bank every time.
2. Romans 8:1 “There is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk after the flesh but after the Spirit” and “1st John 1:9, “If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us”. These scriptures confirm that we shouldn’t live in condemnation nor beat ourselves up for something done in the past. The Lord is not a condemning God but one who forgives and encourages us to learn from our mistakes. God is not there to hit us with a club when we make a mistake or bad decision. There are times He corrects us just like any parent would, but His desire is that we acknowledge what we’ve done, confess it, turn from it and then move forward. He does not want us to stay stuck in it or live in shame over it.
3. 2nd Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things become new”. For those who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice, this scripture tells us that we are new creations in Him meaning we can now choose to live in His Spirit instead of following after our sinful desires. Living in the Spirit is a life abiding in His forgiveness, mercy grace and love which brings new opportunities to serve God instead of ourselves. Now, if we sin or make wrong decisions, His grace and forgiveness are there to restore us. In doing so, we can help others dealing with the same thing we’ve overcome. All we have to do is ask Him to use us.
4. 2nd Corinthians 4:17, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”. This is the best of news of all! As we trust the Lord with the pain and suffering we’ve experienced, we receive eternal benefits for sticking with Him. He sees our suffering and like any parent wants to do, blesses us for our obedience to Him. It may not be on this earth but He’s storing an eternal blessing that awaits us in heaven. This is the same as when Jesus went to the cross and asked the Father, “if there is any way that this cup may be removed, please do so, but may Your will be done”. Accepting God’s will would cost Him initially as He would go through horrific pain and suffering, but He knew in the end things would work out for the best. He went to the cross, was crucified, spat upon, humiliated and died, but three days later arose displaying His power over death. For His faithfulness, He now has authority over all creation. In the same way, Jesus wants to use us as we obey His commands and follow Him even in the midst of our pain. It is His power that can now be seen in our lives. Power to love the unlovable, forgive the unforgivable and heal the broken hearted.
These are just a few illustrations of the faithfulness of God whom I have come to trust in the darkest of times. It is through His faithfulness that we can learn amazing lessons in life and how He works to bring us closer to Himself. His faithfulness and love can be counted on and when we trust Him we give Him the glory He rightly deserves! God Bless!!
