The fruit of faith in Hebrews 11 1 we find the
definition of faith Now faith is a substance
of things hoped for the evidence of things not
seen Can I just say I'm struggling with this?
I was hoping that faith meant faithfulness Faithfulness
like not leaving your post being consistent being
a faithful spouse student or employee I feel
like I can check that box more easily than straight
up faith. I did a word search and read all the
verses and looked at the definition, and faith
as a persuasion, being persuaded, believing something
to be true, according to Strong and the verses
I've read, not faithfulness as I hoped. I have
some promises that God has given me, things when
written on a piece of paper I know God said.
But when faced with not seeing them, week after
week and year after year, when the evidence is
opposite the hope, let's be honest, it's easier
to be faithful than faith -filled. Faithful in
the sense of going through the motions, doing
all the right things, but hope being deferred.
There is some merit in that, when the apostles
got to hard things that Jesus said, things that
left them bewildered. Peter said, we have nowhere
else to go. We know you have the words of eternal
life. So there is faithfulness and faith, but
no one wants to be in a relationship where the
other is there solely because of duty, but doesn't
have faith in your ability. God doesn't enjoy
that kind of relationship either. The fruit of
faith struggles without consistent water and
fertilizer. It's easy to sing with the Israelites
as they see their enemies drowned and floating
down river. It's easy to sing on Sunday, but
it's harder to walk three days journey into the
wilderness and have no water and the water you
do see is bitter. Three days, a lot can happen
in three days. You can't even remember what happened
on Sunday. I'm guilty of this. Speaking faith
while singing with God's people on Sunday. Thinking
I'm going to die on Wednesday. Not even just
me. My family's going to die. My situation won't
be resolved. The promised thing is outside of
my view. How will I even get that far if I don't
have water immediately? I've mentioned my friend
who reminded me that the fruit of the spirit
isn't a work we do, but an outgrowth of our walk
with God. It will grow as the spirit works in
us. But there's the whole hope -deferred reality,
that long summer stretch between planting and
harvesting. We admire Abraham, but he never actually
saw nations. He went 25 years without a child.
He was 75 when he was given the promise, 100
years old when the promise came. Obviously, God
was teaching us that he was in charge of the
womb. If he could make an old bared womb bring
forth life, someday he could cause a virgin's
womb to bring forth life. God was looking at
generations. He was looking at me and you. That's
all well and good thousands of years later, but
25 years. How do you walk in faith for 25 years?
We can't even keep our eye on the New Year's
resolution we started last month. How can we
keep our eye on the promise? How can we have
faith over weeks and months and years? The good
news is, the Bible says Abraham stay or not.
We look at Abraham and are like, what about Hagar
and Ishmael? Abraham asked, couldn't you just
use Ishmael? What about the harem Sarah had to
go to? What about the fact that one of those
visits to the harem was after God said, this
year you will have a son? But the Bible says
Abraham staggered not. God measures things so
differently than you and I. He looks so far down
the road and he's so much more merciful and kind
than you and I are. He is more merciful than
we are to others. He's more kind than we are
to ourselves. He is patient and teaches us to
walk in faith as he taught the Israelites. He
tells us to sing to ourselves in spiritual songs
and hymns. He tells us to pray in the spirit
because we don't know how to pray as we ought.
He tells us to meditate the law day and night.
Speak words of life and not death. He is giving
us tools. Some might call them ways to cope.
Let's talk about things that keep your panic
under control. Here are things that will water
the seeds of faith and smother the weeds of doubt.
Here's what has worked for me. Read the Bible.
Make the time. Wake up earlier. Put down the
busy for 20 minutes. Be intentional. Turn off
the noise. Seriously. Turn it all off. Drive
without music, podcast, or news. Cook without
something talking in the background. Walk without
something in your ears. Still yourself. Don't
speak negativity. Stop. Don't do it. Ask the
Lord to bridle your tongue. Speak life. If you
have nothing positive to say, quote a scripture
or a phrase of faith. Lord, I trust you. Your
words are true. I praise you Lord. There's no
magic phrase only declarations of faith that
work for you. Be faithful. Do what is right.
Keep going to church. Keep praying. Keep your
temper. Watch your mouth. Be obedient. Sing.
Sing the worship song. Sing the old hymn. Sing
off key. Sing as you cry. Sing in the car. Sing
even as your kids roll their eyes. Sing because
your kids roll their eyes. Sing in the night,
especially in the night. Keep a notebook or a
list. Keep a list of what the Lord has promised
and what the Lord has done. I have a physical
notebook. I have things pinned on my wall. I
have an album of screenshots labeled promises
on my phone. Remember what the Lord has done.
Read that notebook. Read that list. Focus on
something else. Find someone who needs prayer
and pray for them. Seek someone to give the gospel.
Look around. Who is in this place that needs
something for the Lord? What can you add to those
around you? Where have you been brought that
you aren't usually? And identify those new people
that come with that place to whom you can speak
life. Praise the Lord for the situation. Really.
Thank him for the season of growth. Thank God
for what he's teaching the person you're worried
about. Thank him for bringing you to the place
that you can't handle so he can show himself
strong. Be very profuse in your praise. I have
found these things helpful. If you encourage
yourself in another way, let me know. I'm always
looking for more tools to add to my toolbox.
May your fruit of faith grow. Don't forget to
keep it watered. Next time, we'll talk about
meekness.