Faith in the Tough Times

Recently, I sat down to visit with a dear friend.  We talked about the obvious things and gradually began to talk about the real stuff. I love getting to the real stuff. Great friendships are based on getting to the real stuff. We began to talk about something that she is believing God for. Tears filled her eyes as she explained how much she has been believing and hoping for this to come to pass. She said "I know God can, just why isn't he?"

I think we have all been there. I know he can, but why isn't he? It is an emotion that when it is happening to you, is so real and present and pressing.  It can be painful, uncomfortable, confusing and stretching. One day you are full of faith and the next you feel like you are at the bottom of a pit. When my husband was without a full time job last year, I experienced this very real pain. I know it's a scary place to be, but I think it's a real place to be, the place where you are fighting not to ask, why?

Sitting with my friend as she choked back those words reminded me of two things.
It reminded me of what faith truly is, and what the body of Christ is supposed to be.

Everyone would agree that it is easy to have faith through good times, but many of us have felt the times when our faith is truly stretched. When it's a need; God has to move or we might not make it out okay. It might be a physical, financial, spiritual or emotional need, but we know that God has to move on our behalf.  Hebrews 11:1 says

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

I mentioned before about my husband's job last year. God was faithful to provide for us during that time, but that's not to say that it wasn't stretching our faith to believe that God was going to do something wonderful on our behalf. It took every ounce of our faith to speak out loud that God was going to work in an amazing way. During this time period, Tyler was working part time at his police department and a new full time spot had become available. This was it! This was what God was going to do for us! The email came out announcing that another person had been chosen for the spot. We were heart broken. Somewhere deep within, my heart screamed, why!? I didn't understand. It is at times like these that I believe people have to take a time-out. A life, time-out. We had to get together and get past the hurt and put "why" to the side. Why doesn't matter! We are believing for something we HAVE NOT SEEN yet! So Lord, we trust you to bring on the good stuff! Not only knowing that he can, but believing that he will. I found this verse and posted it to my computer at work:

Psalm 138:2 I will give thanks to your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness, because your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.

Now trust me, this is TOUGH and it certainly wasn't my first response! I won't even write about my first response! :) God says that he will strengthen you in your inner spirit and I find myself praying that OFTEN! I had to refuse to speak doubt and also surround myself with people of faith. Which leads me to the second thing: the body of Christ. It is SUCH a powerful thing!

Galatians 6:2 says:
Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

God knew that there would be some tough times in life and that we would need each other.  God gave us the body to encourage each other, pray for each other. When one person is weak in their faith it's our role to step in and say "I can believe for that, I can have faith for that with you!" It saddens me to think of all the opportunities we may miss as believers to share in what God is doing for someone else.

During this same time, I remember one person who was the body of Christ to me, in a very practical way. I was outwardly believing for God to do something but inwardly, I was sinking. I needed the body of Christ. I sat down with a dear friend and had a conversation much like the one I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, only I was the one crying out. Later during the day, I got an email from her. It said, I love you and I am praying for you guys and for God's provision and direction in your life and then there was a link attached to an encouraging song.

That email meant the WORLD to me! It meant so much to me, that someone was thinking about me after the fact, and that they were actually praying for me. My point is this, it was an EMAIL! :) Something short and easy and it encouraged my faith and made me feel strong. We all have time to write an email, make a phone call, send a card, go out for coffee, send a text, say a prayer. We have time to be the body of Christ.

How do we keep faith in the hard times? Believe that God can and will; gain strength through prayer and the body of Christ. Be blessed today!