Wednesday, September 07, 2016

The Food Of Faith


"When you're in over your head, I'll be there with you. When you're in rough waters, you will not go down. When you're between a rock and a hard place, it won't be a dead end- Because I am GOD, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior..." (Is.42:2-3, MSG)

Scripture Reading: Jms.1:2-4.

I would love to begin to telling us that the very food of faith is challenges. 

These challenges are oftentimes referred to as tests, temptations, trials, tribulations and defeats. Thank God for the Word that sustains our spirit in times like this, but these things put together helps our faith to grow.

Untried faith may be true faith, but is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without challenges. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: tempests are her trainers and lightnings are her illuminators.

Tried faith brings experience. You could not have believed your own weakness had you not been compelled to pass through the rivers, and you would not have known God's strength had you not been supported amid the water floods. 

The muscles of faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with challenges. Faith is precious and its challenges are precious too.

Let not this, however discourage those who are young in faith. You will have trials enough without seeking them: the full portion will be measured out to you in due season. Meanwhile, if you cannot yet claim the result of long experience, thank God for what grace you have; praise Him for that degree of holy confidence whereunto you have attained: walk according to that rule, and you shall yet have more and more of the blessing of God, till your faith shall remove mountains and conquer impossibilities.

So, where does this leave us? 

"Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you can become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." (Jms.1:2-4, MSG).

Ponder Point: Our faith does not grow when things are easy. It grows with challenges.

Action Point: Appreciate challenges.

Prayer Point: O LORD, give me a new understanding of what challenges are so I can maximise them effectively for the growth of my faith in Jesus name, Amen.

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