Patience and Faith. I guess they go together pretty well. Jenny and I have been trying to get a home study worked out for some time. After many requests they have neither sent us a check list nor even managed to tell us when or where they want to do the study. It is leaving me very frustrated and a little snippy, which I need to apologize for. It is very frustrating when no communication seems to be happening at all.
I guess this is where both patience and faith come in. You see, it is hard to have patience if you don’t have faith. If you have faith then you have a confident peace that God is taking care of it, completely. There is no need for impatience because God’s timing is perfect. However, because my faith is weak, is suffer from impatience and worry.
I pray for God’s help in my unbelief and in building my faith. He seems to see fit to do that by testing's. I pray I am not found wanting.
Wal-Mart’s clothing brand Faded Glory seems to describe how I feel. I recognize God’s power, His grace, and His provision. I read His word and know the person I am called to be, yet I feel a faded version. As though, despite my best efforts, I am but a faded representation of His glory. I pray to have more faith and shine like a star in the heavens for him (Philippians 2:15).
Hebrews 11 deals quite a bit with faith, in fact the entire chapter is about faith. It opens with a description of faith;
11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
The King James Version renders assurance as substance. I like substance because I think it gives us a practical way to understand what can be a difficult passage. Essentially what is being said here is that faith is a tangible, substantial, trust and belief in something.
You’ve heard the phrase, “____ is so thick in here you could cut it with a knife.” That is the idea given here. Your faith (belief acted out in trusting obedience) should be so thick it feels like the substance fills the room.
The second part of the verse says that faith is the conviction of things not seen. We all know the strength of the word conviction, yet many seem to miss the point of the phrase, “things not seen.” Most often this is taken to mean the promises we don’t yet see, but verse three clarifies the meaning.
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
In light of this follow up we see it all points back to Jesus. Our faith is supposed to be an active working out of trust and obedience so deeply felt that it is a tangible substance evident in the things we hope for. It is also to be a conviction in the working of things not seen, read Jesus here. Our faith is not only God centered but it is in the creative, powerful, and sure working of the very God who made the universe.
With this focus of an active faith based around an unseen God the next several verses brings up what is often called the Hall of Faith. A set of passages that tell us how our forbearers too had to walk by faith, and by said faith were justified. What is more the author makes it clear that their faith was more difficult because Christ has been revealed to us and the Holy Spirit has filled us, they had no such benefit.
What is even more note worthy is that the author continues his focus on the coming of Christ as our positive motivation.
14 For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. 15 If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
It is our promise, a promise that as of yet is seen as a haze in the distance, a promise of finally reaching our homeland, this promise is our motivation. Our motivation for faith, perseverance, and works. Jesus is coming to take us home, let us rejoice and be busy at work for the joy of our King.
For our substantial faith, centered on Christ, should be encouraged by these testimonies of men who never received the fulfillment of the promised redeemer, as we have, and yet lived believing.
Sure it is difficult to be patient through the process of following God one step at a time. It is designed to test our faith and build it. Much as you test your muscles when you work out, it can be a painful experience but it always builds you up.
A very wise woman once told me that this stepping process is why we are called to be like little children. Children have to rely on their parents, because they are unable to do anything for themselves. They learn to love their parents for it.
Lord help me love you for the process instead of getting frustrated and tired of it. God grow my faith.
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