Jesus said to her, ’Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?’ —John 11:40
Every time you venture out in your life of faith, you will find something in your circumstances that, from a commonsense standpoint, will flatly contradict your faith. But common sense is not faith, and faith is not common sense. In fact, they are as different as the natural life and the spiritual. Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture out with courage on the words of Jesus Christ, while the realities of your commonsense life continue to shout, “It’s all a lie”? When you are on the mountaintop, it’s easy to say, “Oh yes, I believe God can do it,” but you have to come down from the mountain to the demon-possessed valley and face the realities that scoff at your Mount-of-Transfiguration belief (see Luke 9:28-42). Every time my theology becomes clear to my own mind, I encounter something that contradicts it. As soon as I say, “I believe ’God shall supply all [my] need,’ ” the testing of my faith begins (Philippians 4:19). When my strength runs dry and my vision is blinded, will I endure this trial of my faith victoriously or will I turn back in defeat?
Faith must be tested, because it can only become your intimate possession through conflict. What is challenging your faith right now? The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it. Jesus said, “Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me” Matthew 11:6). The ultimate thing is confidence in Jesus. “We have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end . . .” (Hebrews 3:14). Believe steadfastly on Him and everything that challenges you will strengthen your faith. There is continual testing in the life of faith up to the point of our physical death, which is the last great test. Faith is absolute trust in God— trust that could never imagine that He would forsake us (see Hebrews 13:5-6).
Journal DJR
Good Morning Lord,
That was pretty harsh what Oswald said,”The test will either prove your faith right, or it will kill it.” It makes me wonder if my faith for some of the things I prayed for many years ago that didn’t come to pass … was killed? Or I just missed it? Some of the things that didn’t come to pass, you changed my desires and I saw that what did come to pass was better than what I wanted initially. But some are still out there … unfulfilled. Is that like Paul who asked about his thorn in the flesh three times and you said “My grace is sufficient for you?”
Yes, it is kind of like that but dont jump too quickly to abandon your requests. My grace is indeed sufficient for you and for Paul. But remember, I am God of the unexpected … and so it MAY be that when you have abandoned the intensity of your prayer, that I will bring the answer. There is a difference between totally giving up your prayer and your whole spiritual life and just backing off the intensity and going into a patient waiting mode. That is the way to wait for un-answered prayer … with curiosity and an underlying expectation and belief in my goodness and good plans for you. It’s time to remember Jer 29:11 … and dont take it out of context. My children were waiting, with unanswered prayers for deliverance (v 10) Jeremiah 29:11
The Message (MSG)
10-11This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.
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