Originally posted 9/16/2020
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Hebrews 11:1
Faith…such a small and simple word with such an enormous depth of meaning. Based on the definition provided by the apostle Paul in the book of Hebrews, faith seems pretty straightforward. Answer a couple of questions (what do I hope for? What am I certain of?) and bam—there is your faith. In practical application it is a big ask.
What do I hope for?
Again, at first glance, this seems like such a simple question. I hope that my kids will stay healthy. I hope that they will follow God’s path and find peace and contentment where He has called them to go. I hope the Cardinals win the World Series and the Chiefs win the Super Bowl. I always hope to eat more cake. As humans, we are often flippant with the idea of hope, seeing it as a wish list of sorts. True hope is so much more than that. True hope isn’t about wishful thinking. It is about trust and belief and an understanding that there is more to life than present reality and circumstances. Faith means that what you hope for is grounded in more than wishes. It is grounded in the One who provides the certainty. God provides the certainty. Faith is more about trusting His character, His Word, and His ways more than wishing for the end result. When we trust that God is who He says He is and intends for the good of those He created and loves. We might not be sure of the specifics of our hope, but we are sure of the One in whom we hope. Whatever He has for us, wherever our path takes us, He is there, and He is sovereign.
When I hope, I have hope in who God is—that He will never leave me, that there is nowhere I can go that He isn’t with me. With that knowledge, the details are less important. The greatest hope of my faith is that I am always sure of God’s character and how much He loves me.
What am I certain of?
The cliché says that the only certainties are death and taxes. On this earth, that is true. However, both death and taxes can be seen, even if not always understood. Death and taxes have evidence. What about the things we can’t see? How certain can we be of those? Love, emotions, trust, things that can’t be quantified. How can we be certain? Again, my only response is God. I am certain of God. I am certain of who He is, and what He wants for me. He asks that I trust in Him rather than my own understanding (Ps 3:5-6), that I remember that He knit me together (Ps. 139:13), that I rejoice, turn to Him, and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:16-18)—things that are not visible without faith in Him. Only by being certain of His character, His word, and His ways can we be certain of all else. All circumstances—good or bad—are steps in our path and part of the journey. God is sovereign and with me on that path, no matter where it takes me.
That is faith. That makes me grateful—He is in control. He sees a bigger picture than I could ever see. He knows how all of the small pieces fit together from my first day to my last, making me thankful that I can rest in Him rather than having to figure it all out myself.
Thanks for reading! 😊 EW