There

"Because it is the love of God for us, and our intimate awareness of it, that causes us to believe."

WE’VE MADE a rulebook out of faith, saying some do not receive an answer because they did not follow God’s set rules. They “lacked faith.” I’m not sure if we pronounce this because we believe it or because, other than the supposed “lack of faith,” we can’t say why they didn’t receive. We’ve made following faith’s how-to rules our steps to success and the spiritual gifts, administered by the Holy Spirit, totally random. When in actuality, both are simply different ways God has promised to provide for us, and all are welcome in His Presence, and all are loved. All have the complete “measure of faith.” His name is Jesus, and we have 100% of Him.

In 1 Corinthians 12, the spiritual gifts are listed, but here, we’ve taken them apart, defining each one individually, when the point of the passage is they work to our unity. The apostle Paul, who wrote this letter to Corinth, wanted them to see God’s provision, that He works in many ways through people, then in chapter 13, he circled in on the WHY. For even if we have those things listed in verses 1-3, the tongues of men and angels, the gift of prophecy, and all understanding, none of it works without love.

“For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.” (Galatians 5:6)

People have been quoting the Word for thousands of years, but it takes knowing the Author for it to find roots in the heart. Someone can memorize its text, form opinions of it, and write paragraphs sincerely, yet be completely wrong in what they’ve decided. Only by reading it with the Holy Spirit will our eyes be opened and we will know the Truth. Teaching on faith is a grand thing, but in the list of “faith, hope, and love,” LOVE IS THE GREATEST, and there is a reason why. Because it is the love of God for us, and our intimate awareness of it, that causes us to believe.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, BSB)

Questions about the failure of faith always lack one key factor: patience. God is patient and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). His character is complete wisdom, all authority and power. His nature is to provide for us by the means that is best for us wherever we are in our maturity. Sometimes, what we want instantly is best after we’ve endured. God did not send the affliction. He does not make us poor or sick to teach us something, to give us endurance. Never! There are times, though, when our listening to Him and leaning upon Him is key. In fact, this is often. We must guard our minds (Proverbs 4:23), refusing to think on things that encourage us to quit. These are not just men’s comments, but pain and personal discomfort, worries about the present and the future, and mistruths about God.

Anything that says to give up is not from God. Anything. I have heard stories of this nature, saying this one should not seek to live because they are ready for heaven. This does not come from God, no matter who spoke it. Our loving Father is able to sustain and nuture and aid us in our weakness. This is why He gave us His Spirit (Romans 8:26). But we must give Him full control. The truth is, we don’t. We keep a handful of decisions for ourselves and make excuses. We tell ourselves they are “just how we do it,” or it is a personal like or habit. But God can use what we are good at and what we enjoy to bless us. We must trust Him with it, even at the moment of letting go of it into His hands.

We must pick up longsuffering and patience on the scale that He bears it. Faith that would speak into the darkness and cause light to be, then pace itself for thousands of years to send salvation lives in us. Jesus was planned before the world was founded, His body designed as it would be, and mankind’s designed like it. God waited through the flood and the destruction of mankind, waited from Noah and his family, eight persons left on the earth, to Abraham, a man too old to have a family. He built a nation to make Himself part of its family, then waited until Mary, a virgin, was espoused to a good man named Joseph.

In an era where Israel was under the thumb of Rome and had no Presence in the temple, He placed an infant among us with all the wisdom and glory of heaven.

Yet we give up. I’ve been there, and I needed more patience, more endurance, and had to focus on the joy and peace in believing (Romans 15:13). This is the only rule to keep pushing forward toward the prize, the fulfillment of victory. I didn’t measure where I was spiritually, didn’t blame myself for how I got that way, didn’t take on condemnation for anything that felt too big for me. I knew it was not too big for God, and He loved me far beyond my understanding. Exceeding abundantly above. And that was enough.

His love is enough. It is all we need to receive His promise. We must set down the rules man has contrived, including what he has deemed to be mistakes, and meditate on God – by reading His Word, by time in worship, time in His Presence, mixing in lots of laughter and rest, the burden rolled onto His shoulders (1 Peter 5:7), He who carried it as far as the east is from the west. There, we place what is called faith. Not as rules, nor a formula we cannot possible do right and earn, but as an outgrowth of God’s extreme care for us. Everything we need to succeed is provided by Him, with peace in our hearts and minds, rest in our body, complete health, the end result.

“This is a good life—my heart is glad, my soul is full of joy, and my body is at rest. Who could want for more?” (Psalm 16:9, VOICE)

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]” (Matthew 11:28 AMPC)

“If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7, TLB)

Image by HoggyArt from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com