‘Even If’ Faith
Faith is a funny thing: This idea that you hold a strong belief that something is without having proof that it is. Faith is trust, and how we know all too well how difficult trust is in today's world. You can only trust someone if you know them very well. Scripture defines faith in Hebrews 11:1 in the following way: ”The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation that makes life worth living. It is our handle on what we can't see." (The Message). I have found this sort of trust is not very easy at all, frankly because sometimes things don’t work out. You have faith and trust, but the hardship still comes and then what do I do?
Recently, I came to realize that there is a big difference in having faith that something will happen a certain way and having faith in God. If your faith in God is based on some opportunity you seek, something you need, a relationship or anything specific God must do for your happiness, however nobel that thing may be, your faith is not in God but actually rests upon a whole lot of other things. You expect things should happen a certain way because from your perspective that is the best thing for your life. What happens then is that we subject God to that truncated idea of faith, and we are disappointed and hurt when it doesn't work out. It seems like God did not come through. We then have two options: either we blame God, or we blame ourselves. But here's the catch: Maybe we don't need to find anyone to blame at all.
Friends of mine recently went through a really difficult time, filled with loads of scary uncertainty. In a message from them, they said this: "We've been replacing the words ‘What if' with 'Even if'. Faith. Hope. Trust. That is it, it's knowing who your faith, hope and trust is in and that even if you don't understand He does, He is still good. It's the kind of faith Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had when they stood in front of the king who was threatening to through them in the fire. ‘Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything you might cook up, o king. BUT EVEN IF HE DOESN'T, it wouldn't make a bit of difference.’" (Daniel 3:18, The Message).
As I walked through my own difficult time this past week I am finding a different kind of faith rising in my heart. This faith lies in our good God and not in what I think things should be. And I am learning that trying to find blame is not really helpful or even needed, because nothing was necessarily wrong. Life is unfolding and I can have faith in my 'Even if' God who remains good, always. He will be with us, He will love us and He will not ever leave us, and that is enough.