Where is Your Faith?
Why God? Why me? Why MY family? Why MY health? Why MY job? Why now? Why? Why? Why? I can guarantee we’ve all said one of these phrases at least once, maybe many times. There’s so much we don’t understand; so much suffering everywhere we turn; so much injustice; so much that’s not fair. There are some people who just seem to take one hit after another.
I’ve been there. I remember as a newly-wed, newly-saved, headstrong young woman, defiantly telling my saved-in-the-womb, sweet, full-of-Godly-faith husband that I would ALWAYS question everything because I HAD to understand everything, and I wasn’t stupid enough to ‘just believe’. Oh my. Silly girl! For 20 years I tried to live by my words. Tried really hard. And got myself deeper and deeper into frustration and depression. I’m so thankful for a husband and a Heavenly Father who have endless patience and love. I don’t even know when or how I changed. But for the last 15 years my husband has battled chronic illness that has deeply affected not just him but our whole family. I realized at some point that I never once asked God “Why?” And even through the hurt, turmoil, and heartache, the peace and joy of the Lord have been indescribable. There have been times I’ve almost laughed at how calm we’ve been in the face of unbearable difficulties.
In Luke 8:22-25 we read the account of the disciples in a boat which is hit by a storm. Jesus was sleeping, and the terrified disciples woke Him. After calming the storm, Jesus asked them, “Where is your faith?”, or “Why can’t you trust me?” Jesus was already present with them while the storm was raging. He was sleeping, but He was there. Just because we don’t always HEAR Him or FEEL Him during the storms of life, does that mean He’s not there? We will go through trials. It’s part of living in our fallen world. But Jesus is always there with us. We don’t know how He will carry us through, but we need to learn to trust Him that He will carry us through. That is faith. His ways are not our ways. My husband’s deliverance from one health condition came as a result of almost dying from a ruptured colon. Not an outcome I would have chosen! Yet God was with us throughout, and still is, and we have learned to trust Him with every area of our lives.
Don’t spend 20 years being stubborn; trust that your Heavenly Father is walking alongside you and will carry you through every storm.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CORINNE THORPE
Corinne Thorpe is part of the PennDel Women Dream Team. She and her hubby Allan moved to the states from England 20+ years ago, and have pastored in a small town in NW PA ever since. They have 10 lovely children, who have her whole heart, and raising them in Christ is what she considers to be her true calling. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” 3 John 1:4