Friday, April 8, 2016

The Peace Embodied Bitter Sweetness of Faith

WHAT can we know about the nature of Faith?  Here are some of my attempts at tying down some meaning in such a nebulous concept:
Faith and Life’s Difficulties
Faith wrestles with the inevitable and enigmatic dichotomies of life, and finds within herself the resources to dig deeper and to grow, not in spite of the difficulties, but because of them.
Faith sees not the cost of the trial, or its pain, but the compensation that comes from enduring the trial.
Faith doesn’t deny the pain, for it’s real, but the pain isn’t all there is.  Faith attempts to see with eternity’s perspective, and receives the gift of perspective in eternity’s moment.  One at a time, each one enough.
Faith and God’s Promises
Faith awaits with expectation the awesome promises of God, whilst accepting the mysteries in the unknowable future.
Faith accepts the promises in God’s Word with expectation, whilst acknowledging the unknowable mystery in stepping forward.
Faith trusts, and when trust is fully fledged as alleged on the Bible promise, she believes in such a way that brings the thing to pass.
Faith and God’s Deliverance
Faith sees the fruition of a hope come to pass.  With trust vindicated, she celebrates with meek poise.  She knew victory would come, but never realised it would taste as good as this.
Faith’s confidence is its greatest achievement, and such wellbeing comes from victory.
From victory comes the unshakable security of trust in God’s faithful goodness.
***
Faith must emanate from difficulty, to trust in a promise, in order to realise deliverance.
It’s the way Faith works.  It’s dormant when life is well.  But when is life truly well?  Two answers: it’s well all the time and rarely.
Faith therefore is something we find we need, that not only makes life better, it makes life the best, even when life isn’t well.
Faith accepts the bitter sweetness of life.  At least it isn’t all bitter.  So Faith can rest comfortably at peace in every situation.
© 2016 Steve Wickham.

No comments:

Post a Comment