Persevering with a "Through" Faith

I know it's time to write something when I'm constructing paragraphs in my head and everything else I am doing is distracted by the thoughts swirling about. So, the college students waiting for their essay grades are going to have to wait just a bit longer. They'll be thankful in the long run since I'm not a very fair grader when I'm distracted :-)



I've been thinking about overwhelming situations or circumstances that pop up in peoples' lives and wondering sometimes how it's even possible to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Looking around at the world today, I see a lot of turmoil. Healthcare concerns us - what decisions will be made and how will they affect my loved ones? The economy is worrisome. The unemployment rate rose to 10.2% in October. The fear that wraps itself around a family facing unemployment can be paralyzing. Families are facing relational breakdowns. Soldiers who valiantly face death every day have been attacked on their own turf at Fort Hood in Texas. A disgruntled gunman killed six people in Orlando, Florida, today. I have a dear friend who is facing an insurmountable family crisis. My husband and I face uncertainty each day as business owners, knowing any decision or event may drastically affect our ability to succeed. It would be easy to let fear take over.



You see what I mean? You could probably add numerous examples of your own to this list. We all have our "stuff" to deal with. (I cleaned it up for posting purposes :)
So, my question becomes, what do we do with overwhelming circumstances? I don't want to be Pollyanna and cover up the difficulty with a blank stare and a pasty smile. I do want to know how to maintain hope and optimism despite my circumstances.



I've been learning some tools that help me cope with both the world's problems and my own. The first is to have a "through" kind of faith. One of my favorite Bible teachers, Beth Moore, talked about this kind of faith in her study, "Living Beyond Yourself, Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit." Her contention is that we should always associate "through" with faith - as in when we're going "through" something - we must trust our always faithful God. Consider Isaiah 43:2-3


"When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
And when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."



Many times we think that because we don't see God acting or doing what we want, that He's somehow not faithful. In other words, we often want God to change our circumstances, and perhaps, more often God wants to change us. Therefore, going "through" something with faith will probably mean that I'll come out of it with a stronger connection to God and a deeper appreciation for Him.



Remembering God's faithfulness is step one for me. It helps remind me not to look at my circumstances, but at God's hand reaching down, holding me. Step two is serving Him with the gifts He's given me. Serving something larger than myself shifts my focus from my circumstances to others and what needs they might have. Galatians 6:9 says "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." According to the New Testament Lexical Aids, (again from my favorite Bible Study teacher, not my own library :)) to become "weary" doing good means "to give in to trouble; to become exasperated by difficulty, be defeated in spirit, discouraged, or faint-hearted; to despair, lose heart. . . . to turn out to be a coward, to lose one's courage." Well, the last thing I want to be is a coward, especially when it comes to doing good for God. So, I will persevere. I will persevere, "because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Rom. 5:3-5.



And so my friends, I urge you to keep pressing on and to rely on the ever faithful and true Jesus Christ. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33