Testing Our Faith in the Storm of Life

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen . . . By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was to go.

I love that first line of today’s Scripture. There is so much to ponder but the following words about Abraham’s faith really blow my mind, “He went out, not knowing where to go.” Imagine that! To follow where the Lord is leading, even if you don’t know the outcome. That kind of faith amazes me. I’ve seen it in the example of friends, and even strangers, who have endured heavy crosses with grace, patience, and incredible faith.

It is easy to follow God and have faith in Him when life is going relatively well. However, when we become like the apostles and find ourselves in the midst of a great storm, that is when our faith is truly tested and we find out just how deep it is.

When I look back at my own life, I can the see the times when my faith was tested the most—during my reversion, during our infertility years and the miscarriages that followed, or more recently, during my husband’s fight with cancer. I’ll admit that at times fear crippled me. It wasn’t until I opened my eyes and looked at Christ that I could hear Him ask, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?”

God is teaching me to let go. Like Abraham, He wants us to follow even though we may not know exactly where we are going. We have to hold onto the truth that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen.” That is no easy task and there are still moments when I struggle.

These storms of life are not always big, life-changing situations. We face storms every day and our faith is challenged. We may be tempted to give in to our fear and think that we are incapable of making it through a difficult moment or situation. By ourselves, we cannot. However, Jesus is ready and waiting to calm our storm and restore peace to our hearts.

What is causing fear in your life right now? Spend a few moments pouring your heart out to God and speak to him candidly. Place your fears at his feet and let his calm wash over you.

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Bobbi Rol is full time mom to a tween daughter, three rambunctious little boys, and two babies in heaven. She lives in California with her husband, Brian. You can find out more about her here.