WALKING IN FAITH | by Rebekah W. ~ (Vol. 3#3)
Walking in faith and taking God for His word has been one of the hardest things in my Christian walk! The year of 2005 was when I started to really, truly test God! It was a year of trials and I will share them with you.
May 2005 my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. That was a blow to our faith! The word “cancer” automatically goes with “death” so that was the first thought that crossed my mind! Here’s what I wrote in my journal at that time: “This has been a big blow to our faith, because we thought that God was in control. He still is! He’s still on the throne even when things like this happen. In times like these, all that God tells you is ‘Trust ME!’ He knows best!” Even though I wrote that, in my heart I was doubting that God knew what He was doing!
Now, 2 years later, looking back on it, I can see how God guided us, even in the valley! The God of the mountain in the God of the valley too! And God used this trial to teach us all to trust Him even when our world is crumbling. Even when everything seems to be going wrong, trust Him! Through every trial, no matter what it is, God knows best! Whether it’s the death of a spouse, a special friend deserting you, etc., God knows what you’re going through and is trying to get your attention and teach you a lesson!
Shortly before Mom got cancer, my one and only friend kind of “left” me. This was hard because we had played together everyday for 3 years. I remember thinking, “Why? God, why did you take me friend away?” When I finally just accepted it, God led me to meet another Christian girl who became a good friend to me. Then I found out about Hidden Wisdom magazine and through that I met Sarah Bryant! And from there I’ve gotten so many pen-pals and friends!
When God takes something good away, and we accept it, He puts something even better in its place!! We just have to trust Him! All my fretting and complaining was for nothing-I should have just walked in faith and believed that God knew what He was doing! He did, didn’t He?!
Another thing is that God sends trials to strengthen our faith. Here’s some notes that I took from a message entitled “Adversity,” preached by my Dad: “Adversity is the goodness of God to show us who we are and where we are. How we act or react to trouble shows us what our character is. If we “faint” in that (the trial) we are weak and need to strengthen our faith!” So often when adversity/trials come, we “faint” or show our lack of faith. We right away think that “this is so horrible” and forget to talk to our Heavenly Father who sent the trial to strengthen our faith! Even when we pray, we pray with doubt in our minds. We don’t believe that “with God, nothing shall be impossible”!
Another thing is that if “we can’t see it we don’t believe it.” Kind of like Thomas, the doubter. He didn’t believe Christ was alive, because he couldn’t see Him! When we can’t see the end of the tunnel, we don’t believe there is one! That’s not how Christ wants us to be. He wants us to say, “OK, Lord. Even if I don’t see it, I’m going to trust in you and walk by faith!” 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” Jesus Christ is faithful! Even if our faith is small, He is not! Hebrews 10:23: “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised)...” So many places in the Bible, people had faith in God! Hebrews 11 is a good chapter on “faith.” Christ expects us to be faithful servants! I closed with this verse last issue, but let me close with it once more: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” May this be said of you today as well as in eternity! May God bless you and may you always be faithful to His cause!
Rebekah
Rebekah is a regular columnist for KBR.
