Corona Devo 831

Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see.  ~Hebrews 11:1

Everyone talks about faith.  We marvel at people with "strong" faith.  We admire those "walking" in faith.  But what is "faith" and what will it look like in our lives?  

I think it will look a bit like a board being balanced on a fulcrum.  We need equal measures of  faith (believing in and trusting God/being sure) and conviction (being convinced and accepting of the fact that we don't have all of the evidence).  

Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see.  ~Hebrews 11:1

We can know that we are living "faith" when we find ourselves in a precarious balance between seeing and believing.  Right in the middle of those two is where faith is defined.

Will we know it when we are "in-the-middle" of faith?  I should say so--We won't miss that feeling/sensation/reality of being suspended in the act-of-faith.  We know it when we are there.  And we absolutely know it when the Lord allows us to be convinced about things we do not see.  It's almost impossible to explain or put-to-words, but "faith" is an "in between" stage of being called to something and living in the span before that "something" has actually occurred.

I think of times in our lives like realizing/identifying/becoming-aware-of who we will marry.  We cannot guarantee that this person "is the one", but something in our spirit tells us that they are.  The acceptance and faith of trusting that notion and moving forward in marriage is an example (to me) of faith.  We hope for it, and we become convinced of a future with this person, even though we cannot yet see it.

I think of going-away-to-college.  The process, separation-from-family, and impending personal growth for the college student is imminent.  But for the student (and often parent), there is an apron-strings-cutting occurring that we are not too sure about.  It is the polar opposite of everything we have done and established in the parent-child relationship for the previous 18 years.  We know college is the next step, but our hearts retreat from the unknown of what we do not see (yet) in the coming four year experience.  

Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see.  ~Hebrews 11:1

When we are right in the middle of today and "what God is doing in our tomorrow"...that is faith.  It is a spiritual balancing act between what we know and hope for/ and waiting-for or being-on-the-cusp of "said thing" actually happening.

And the catch is, we can't experience the other side of what we hope for/and are convinced about without moving forward in faith.

I think of the disciples who left everything and left it immediately when Jesus asked them to follow Him.  Their faith was hatched and became active almost simultaneously, and in yielding their lives to Jesus, their faith and testimony in serving Him took off. 

  • One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. (17) Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” (18) And they left their nets at once and followed him.  ~Mark 1:16-20
  • As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.  ~Matthew 9:9

I think of our son who is flying (without us) to Colorado today for a Christian student leadership conference.  Young, inexperienced and a little scared, I wondered if he was "ready", and the truth is: he's not.  But the other Truth is--faith is not waiting until we are (fully) ready...it is stepping out when we are called.  

As I double-checked his carry-on backpack, I found snacks, a summer-reading assignment book and buried in the bottom was a full spare-outfit, complete with socks and an extra pair of underwear.  My biggest worry wasn't that the conference would be over his head, but more that being on his own would be.  When I saw the just-in-case-my-luggage-gets-lost outfit in his carry-on, I knew God was telling me He's ready.    

Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see.  ~Hebrews 11:1

~~~

What have we hoped for?  Did we have faith that it would happen?  Are we convinced/moved-to-action/resting-in-prayer even when we can't see the "other side" of what we've hoped for?

That's faith.  We can be sure and we can be convinced today.

What are you thinking of?  What balancing-act-of-faith is teeter-tottering in your mind and heart?  Be sure and be convinced of God's sovereignty and His balance of our faith and His action.  Right in the middle of the two is us and is faith.

Faith is being sure about what we hope for, being convinced about things we do not see.  ~Hebrews 11:1


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