Hope in the Night (A 30-Day Reflection of the Word of God)

Ninth Night: Do I Have Confidence in God?

"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth."
- Hebrews 11:13

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Reflection:

When it comes to faith, there's going to be waiting involved. Take C.S Lewis' statement here: "I am sure that God keeps no one waiting unless he sees that it is good for him to wait." We can trust God to do what's best for us at the right time. Even when we're forced to wait, God often reinforces His promises to us and reminds us of His presence. It might be through His Word, by a whisper, through a person, or simply through our believing by faith that He is with us.

If you want to strengthen your faith, there is no better place to look than the book of Hebrews. In chapter 11, we find the "Hall of Fame for Faith Category" - a list of so many people who struggled, waited, lived by faith, and saw God's promises in the world – and those who died in faith, though not having received the promise, but have seen them in the life after death – fulfilled. There we find people going through unbelievable things – seemingly impossible trials – and ultimately experiencing a new level of intimacy with God even as they witness more of his power.

By faith, Noah obeyed God and built an ark, saving his family. By faith, Abraham and Sarah received the son God promised them, even though they were past the age of childbearing. By faith, Joseph overcame betrayal, slavery, false accusations, and imprisonment to save the nation of Israel. By faith, God's people left Egypt and walked through the Red Sea as it parted on either side of them. By faith, the Israelites marched around the walls of Jericho, and the walls came tumbling down.

These weren't perfect people - far from it, in fact. They all had their struggles and doubts, their mistakes and infidelities, their flaws and their weaknesses. Just like you and me. Sometimes we thought we could never get past our obstacles in life. Sometimes we thought it's all over.

But these people, they persevered in their faith and waited on God again and again. By faith, you will get through this, too.

Think about this. If you had everything figured out and you don't need guidance, you wouldn't need faith. You could live simply by your understanding. By your logic, but not by faith. But when you don't understand something, that gives you the unique opportunity to deepen your faith. Faith is something cannot be seen. As mentioned in Hebrews 11:1, "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

As Oswald Chambers said, "Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time."

Ask for God's help so you will grow your faith way beyond your own need to figure everything out, and to trust that God is your eyes in everything you are going through. Have confidence in Him and His power to change life.

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Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the lives of many in the Bible. Thank You for the faith that the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated with He was in this world. Thank You for the Holy Spirit who taught me to trust in You even if I don't understand some things that happened. May You help me grow my faith way beyond my own need to figure things out. I trust You will be my eyes in everything I am going through. I will put my confidence in You and Your power to change lives, Lord. In Christ's Name, Amen.