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"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
(Romans 10:17)
We are talking this week in our devotions about the importance of faith over fear, trusting God in those hard moments when we are tempted to flee in fear. David in 1 Samuel 17 responded just the opposite of the rest of the army of Israel, including the king. He responded to the taunts of the giant with tremendous faith and no fear. I want to do the same thing when I face my Goliaths, and I believe you do as well. One of the best ways to starve your fears is by feeding your faith on the nutrients of the Scriptures. Paul teaches us that faith comes by hearing the word of God. I want to get you in the Bible so you will know God better and learn to put your trust completely in Him, no matter what comes your way.
One of the privileges and responsibilities of a pastor is to hurt with those who hurt and walk alongside them in their suffering. I have a dear church member who is facing a tremendous trial. He is dealing with fear for his health, and I know I would be dealing with fear as well if I were facing what he is facing! He has a non-cancerous tumor in his jawbone that has to be removed. But removing this tumor will be quite the ordeal. He will need reconstructive surgery on his jaw. Ashley and I prayed for him last night before we went to bed.
How do you respond when you get news like this? I think it is natural to have initial fear and worry. But I love what my friend has done. He is reaching out for prayer, and he wants to walk by faith and trust in God to get him through this difficult ordeal. We all need anchors for our soul when the howling winds of adversity blow upon us. We have two options: fear or faith. Chuck Swindoll writes these very helpful words about having strong anchors of faith during troubling times. "Inevitably, storm clouds will roll in, and you'll find yourself groping for dry land. You will need these anchors when the news comes that someone dear to you has died, or when your teenage son doesn't show up one evening, . . . or when the baby's fever won't break. . . . Those are treacherous moments when we reach the point of abandoning all hope. At that difficult, gut-wrenching moment God says, 'Don't be afraid, I have a plan.' . . . Your tendency will be to turn to another source for strength rather than the Word of God. Don't go there! The only anchor of stability that will hold you firm, no matter how intense the gale-force winds, is God's written Word." (Swindoll, Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit, p. 292-294)
Are you facing a Goliath of your own today? Let me encourage you to reach out to God in prayer, turn to the Word of God for help, and then reach out to someone you know who loves the Lord and can help you. Sharing your burden with another follower of Jesus is wonderful therapy. If you would like for us to pray for you at DFEA, please send us your prayer request at: pray@dfea.com |
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