Devotional: Faith-The Evidence

The topic of spiritual warfare has been something I have learned throughout my years as a Christian and recently in my home the heat has kicked up a notch.  In my ministry, there have been some powerful awakenings to Christ and those drawing near to Him so the backlash has come.  I've recently also experienced an answer to a prayer from a difficult season of growth and am at the beginning stages of seeing how God intents to use His answer in my life.  Budding fruit brings the blight.  

After a few days of not taking the time to discern my thoughts, and falling prey to a bad attitude because of it, God in His grace has given me a new awareness of the war around me.  My destiny is sealed; I am no longer in danger of falling away as I am His forever.  Yet while my future is secure, there still remains the opportunity to cause chaos.  Though I am determined to remain out of the fray taking thoughts captive, I noticed a big increase in the battle for my mind the past few days. 

Hebrews is a huge encouragement because it describes faith in 11:1 as the conviction of things not seen.  The word conviction means proof and a thing tested.  That is why trials make our faith grow, as it tests the limits of how much we believe and takes it to higher places.  It also means we don't have a blind faith-when God calls us to act on the things we can't see (like Noah in Hebrews 11:4), He gives us evidence to go forward.  Thought it may not be the desired realized, in my faith journey I have come to see that He gives us enough to keep moving and acting in confidence in Him. 

Today is a great example of that.  In my doubt and fears of a situation, He put a song on my shuffle that in the past was an encouragement to keep going.   A sweet reminder of something He had told me would come to pass under His power when I was struggling to trust.  The song was His personal evidence to me not to doubt what He has said and confirmed in my life.  That in this new thing, to remember what He has already done, opening up the possibilities of what He might do...

In His intimate knowledge of who we are, He never leaves us alone to stumble blindly.  A personal God with an all-knowing perspective of what's in our heart, He lovingly provides the substance of faith to continue to trust Him for the things He has for us.  The things He gives us to trust Him may not be proof that the world leans on, but it is enough for those He resides in.  

Faith is not "suck it up afraid" kind of walking, but a beautiful yet challenging climb with a personal guide to vistas that take your breath away.  Don't stop walking before you get to the view He is taking you to. Praying for you and me, to have eyes to see the small ways He shores up the big things He is doing!