Faith vs. Desperation

Many of us know that God can be a lawyer in the courtroom. He is a doctor in the sickroom. He is a deliverer in the time of trouble. In times of great desperation, tried and true Christians know to turn to God. Yet, does that faith extend to our everyday, seemingly insignificant, issues as well?

In “Does God Care About Scrabble?” we explored the privilege we have in carrying even our smallest concerns to God in prayer. This seems to be a greatly overlooked benefit of our relationship with Christ. And it goes hand in hand with why many of us fail to realize that faith isn’t just for the tribulations—it’s part of our everyday walk with God.

Often, when people give testimonies, they reflect on how God has healed them from catastrophic diseases or helped them get through devastating crises. These witnesses are important, because they help us to know that God is still a deliverer and He’s still in the miracle business. But how often are they balanced with the testimonies of joy? What about the accounts of those who are simply grateful that they get to work on time each day, have a comfortable roof over their heads, and enjoyed a wonderful vacation with the family recently?

When we become accustomed to applying our faith in the Lord only during our struggles, we tend to lose sight of the faith we need to make it each and every day. Hebrews 11 tells us quite plainly, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” There is no prerequisite that “what we hope for” must be seemingly impossible. The simplest thing, such as “I hope this sweet potato pie comes out right,” is an opportunity to put our faith in action.

When we practice faith daily, it becomes all the stronger when we are really put to the test.