Underconfidence in the Lord’s power. David’s accounting would not build his faith when God called him to action against enemies that outnumbered him. He would be tempted to doubt and fear. My accounting of what seems to be a no answer serves the same purpose. It undermines my confidence in a holy God who works independently of circumstances, time, and space. When I despair, I choose to trust my own instincts instead of what I know and have seen of God’s mighty power. This stance inevitably leads to fear.
One of the best responses to underconfidence in God’s power rings through
Isaiah 43:1-3a:
“But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
There will be deep waters believers must pass through, and rivers of problems with currents that threaten to overtake us. There will be times when the heat and fiery circumstances of life sear. God promises we are never alone in those times, and never forsaken. Those who have been redeemed by Christ’s blood have nothing to fear, no matter what the ledger seems to articulate. They have nothing to fear, ever.
So how do we look at a hard situation, or what appears to be a no answer, and approach it in faith? We remember God is sovereign, and he is good. These essential qualities of God’s character should make a difference in the way we process what is before us. The truth of Romans 8:28 is often misused and misdirected, but that does not change its truth. God is always working in our lives, and that work is an extension of his inexplicable love for us. Sovereign and good are overarching absolutes regarding God's character. They often cannot be seen in the smaller aspects of each situation we encounter, or judge, by our own calculations. We may not see God's sovereignty in the situations that occur. We may not sense his goodness. We’re called to believe the issue lies not with his goodness, but with our limited horizontal perspective. Faith lies in the fact that God is who he says he is, and he is the rewarder of those who earnestly seek him (Hebrews 11:6). What appears to be a no answer in our books may, in God’s inestimable power, turn into a magnificent yes.
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Thank you!
Crystal is a Christ-follower, wife, mother, counselor, and friend. She is passionate about connecting others with the truth of God's miraculous power and sustaining presence.
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