Faith Restored
Have you been offended by God?
Like down right “You were wrong for that one” with God.
If you two have such an amazing track record congratulations. But for me honestly my faith in 2019 was shaken.
I still remember sending a voice note to one of my accountability partners on how I was no longer able to trust God with a certain area of my life.
I screamed
I kicked
I got angry
I asked why
I told God all the reasons why He was wrong
I was MAD.
And because of that my complete faith in God’s perfect will and plan for my life got rocked and me and heaven were at a stand still.
I wasn’t talking to God and He wasn’t talking to me (or I wasn’t listening but hey that’s besides the point).
When we have such moments it is easy for us to feel condemned- like God is in heaven shaking His head at us ready with a mwiko to discipline us back into where we need to be. We view God as this disciplinarian authority over our lives who has got no time for our weak moments. It’s interesting that that actually couldn’t be further from the truth.
I love how Jesus responded to Johns moment of shaking faith.
Allow me to set the scene:
A man set apart from birth, living a life away from sin and worldly pleasures who has been proclaiming repentance and paving the way for the Messiah- and finally baptizing Jesus. Known for great sayings like “He must become greater and I must become less” (John 3:30) finds himself not just behind bars but on death row. And the one who he has been directing people to has a seemingly thriving ministry and is apparently now too busy to even check up on him. Not even a disciple was sent to go and see how John the Baptist was doing.
He must have felt abandoned, rejected, used and cast away.
So, like many in the same position would, he decides to send a message to his birth cousin and known messiah. He sends what seems like an arrogant jab but what really was a cry for help:
“Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” – Matthew 11:3
What would your reaction be if you were Jesus in this circumstance? Honestly, I would have been touched by the question, I don’t know what my response would have been. Jesus, though, is much more perceptive and much wiser. This is how He responds to John.
Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”-Matt 11:4
He does not respond with anger and “How dare you even ask? You already know that I am the one you were to prepare the way for.” Instead He calmly and gently sends His people back to demonstrate the miraculous work of God, He responds by building his faith.
This is the first thing that I would like to emphasize, God doesn’t reject us because of our shaking faith- instead He holds onto and encourages us through the process- demonstrating that He’s not just still God but also that He’s got us.
Faith is restored through:
Remembering
Our minds easily forget the good in the face of the bad. People around me must be tired of one consistent answer I give when asked how things have been, a lot I know misunderstand what I truly mean when I respond “God is Good.” I started doing this intentionally not to be annoying but to continually remember God’s goodness despite life’s reality. This isn’t always easy, but it is necessary. Sometimes we need to shift our eyes from the mountain in front of us to the God who made and also moves mountains.
The word actually says that “We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony” (Revelation 12:11). Our testimony is powerful, it builds not just the faith of others around us but of us who speak it. A song I love is called “Same God” by Tye Tribbett , apart from an epic beat it has a wonderful line “If He did it before He can do it again” and this is true of our God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. If he has brought us out of situations, trails and things that were meant to destroy us before what will keep Him doing that again.
Remember all that He has already done, the prayers He has already answered. All the works that He has already done in your life. Remember your testimony.
Remember how good God is!
2. Reasoning
This really helped me, well yes sometimes reasoning with God is necessary (“Come let us reason together” Isaiah 1:18) but in my personal experience he often shows me how He’s right when that happens. I don’t mean reasoning to justify my points and prove why I have a right of rebellion but reasoning through the word of God.
Looking at Gods word His character is very clearly defined. God is good, far better than any earthly father could be. He is compassionate, he is patient and kind and He never fails. Gods word gives a firm foundation for reasoning because if we reason every situation that may cause a lapse in faith through the word of God we no longer blame God for the situation but look to Him as a solution. And more so than that we are able to deal with the hurt/pain/betrayal that we feel due to that situation and reason that God is not malicious or cunning in action- our understanding towards Him is restored.
For faith to be restored we need our image of and understanding of our God to be restored.
3. Realizing/ recognizing
The purpose of a matter is an important part of the process. In hindsight I look at so many bullets I’ve dodged due to closed doors. I actually know business deals that would have greatly affected a company I’m affiliated to that seemed like lucrative opportunities that needed pursuit and it seemed like a heavenly let down once that deal didn’t go through. But upon the revelation of why and that this deal would have not only associated the company with untrustworthy characters but may have landed it in unwarranted debt I was so glad that that door was shut.
We don’t always see the full picture, but the beauty of perspective is understanding purpose. What is the point of the pain I went through though Kabs? Like why am I having to pick myself up again for the hundredth time? Why is everything I have tried failing? Why does everyone around me let me down? Why does heaven seem to ignore my prayers? What is the purpose of my Valley Kabs? Answer me!
Unfortunately I can’t.
I don’t have all the answers nor all the reasons why. But what I do have is the word of God and the truth of His promises.
“For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial passes away.” – 1 Corinthians 13:9-10
What I know, even though it is in part I truly know it. God withholds no good things from His children and ensures that righteous will not suffer nor their children beg for bread. He is good and works out All things for our good, and this I know for sure.
Realize that every season has a purpose.
Another thing we need to realize is that we are not in a carnal battleground.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” – Ephesians 6:10-12
Life as a Christian is an actual battlefield against the rulers of the dark world. The enemy is also on a mission to abort our missions on this earth so he plans and works relentlessly at doing that. Sometimes we get so busy blaming God for the devil’s handiwork- that is what Job’s friends did. They told Job to go back and repent because he must have in some way angered God but in truth he did not, he was noted for being righteous and prayerful. But that is what made him a perfect candidate for the enemy to come and send trails and temptations along his way.
It was not God who was attacking Job.
I would hate to be Jobs friends who were rebuked by God for pointing a finger at Him because it showed clearly that they were all yet to comprehend who God truly was- there was a major misunderstanding of Gods character.
Recognize that it is not always God who takes away
4. Receiving
In Matthew Jesus sent the news to rebuild John’s Faith and at the end He says “Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” -Matthew 11:6
Jesus was concerned about Johns faith and so He sent a word to build it up. Actually, all through the chapter until verse 19 Jesus to the crowds commends John because he had done all that he had been made to do, he had faithfully achieved the purpose for which he was sent. It is beautiful that Jesus doesn’t throw him under the bus but offers a hand so that he may once again stand in strength.
But it was up to John to receive that word or not.
God doesn’t just watch as we have a shaking faith, He reaches out to us. He sends His word, people, sermons, songs, signs and assurance (I almost typed symptoms- oh medicine , lol) our way when we are in those moments. In the case of Thomas, Jesus Himself came to let him see with his eyes and touch with his hands that Jesus had risen.
But it is up to us to receive all that comes our way and let it stabilize and build our faith.
Also, to receive all the blessings and breakthrough He is ready to give in the new season that you are in. Don’t let one bad season block your blessings. There is a play that I have watched too many times called “Give me a chance”, in this play the heroine almost misses an opportunity for love and a new beginning because she is still living in the sorrow of Loss and devastation. I love how the people around her become signposts to the reality that this was a chance that God was giving her but she had to lay down her burden of hurt to receive it.
And such it is when our faith is being restored.
God is willing and able to show up in a physical way by meeting that need you have been waiting for him to, opening that doorway, giving you that placement. But you have to not just listen to His voice but also do what it says. Receive what this new season brings. Don’t hold onto bitterness and anger like a right but lay it down and let the birth of a new dawn begin.
Allow your faith to be restored.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God” – Hebrews 11:6
“For we live by faith, not by sight” – 2 Corinthians 5:7
To not just do and achieve but live and succeed in Mission 2020 we need faith.
I pray earnestly that everyone who reads this will have their faith restored for not just the year we are in but for all the years to come
God bless and all the best in Mission 2020
