(Hebrews 11:1) “Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists.”
(Romans 8:25) “But if we hope for what we do not yet observe, we eagerly wait for it with patience.”
(2 Corinthians 4:8-10) “In every way we’re troubled but not crushed, frustrated but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. We are always carrying around the death of Jesus in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may be clearly shown in our bodies.”
Being impatient is the opposite of having faith. When you are certain that what God has promised in the Bible is true and that what He says He will do, your whole outlook on life changes. You no longer look at the natural, but start to believe and act in the spiritual and supernatural. This takes patience and a closeness to God that will allow you to sleep during the toughest storms while others run around in distress.
When you were a child and your father promised you that he would take you out for ice cream that evening, you would patiently wait for his arrival knowing it would happen. You probably even kept your best behavior, knowing that only mischief could stop that promise from being completed. You knew that only the passing of time was between you and tasting that ice cream.
When we have learned to wait upon God for all things once we have asked, only time is separating us from receiving an answer. That waiting period is what separates the ones that continue to fall in sin and those that strive till the end and achieve salvation through Jesus.
Before the Messiah appeared on earth as Jesus, all the prophets and believers had was only their faith. Faith in the future that the Messiah would come to set them free from their sins once and for all. They had not seen or heard of many of the miracles like we read today in the Bible. They did not see prophecies about the Messiah being fulfilled before their own eyes.
They had not read about His love and compassion for all who came to Him, and they had not experienced the victory over sin, Satan, and the flesh that we have experienced. Yet they continued to be faithful in their walk with God, patiently waiting for their reward.
What is your excuse for not following Jesus today and giving Him complete control of your life?
(“Faith is usually about what we want (things), but trust is about what God wants – a relationship.” – Bob Gass)
Prayers
• Heavenly Father, You are the God of the whole earth, the one Who is overall, You are eternally blessed.
• Jesus, You are the author and finisher of our faith. We declare that Your Word is true and that You can do all things.
• Forgive us for our impatience, lack of faith, and lack of trust. Forgive us for believing only when have seen or received answered prayers. Forgive us for giving up so easily when things get tough.
• We ask, that from this day forth we will learn to wait patiently on You, knowing that You care for our needs and are more than enough.
• Help us to become like children that completely trust in the promises of the Father.
• We ask today for the peace to live each day in victory, knowing that Your plans for us are of good and not of evil.
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• We ask in Jesus’ Mighty Name. Amen.