The Reality of Faith

     So many things happen in our lives. So many things are unknown. So many things we can't understand. But, there is someone who understands completely. Someone who feels everything we feel. Someone who can see ahead in our future, and knows exactly what we need. His name is Jesus! I love that name. I say it often, and I never get tired of hearing it.
     His ways are higher than our ways. His thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts, with these earthly eyes we can't always see what He has prepared for us. Trials, frustrations, and pain so cloud our view at times, making it impossible to see. When these situations come, it's so hard to believe that Jesus is in heaven and that God still reigns supreme on the throne. It's so hard to believe something that can cause so much pain, and so many hearts to break, could ever be in the perfect will of the Lord.  This is why we (meaning believers) have faith. This is where it needs to come into play.
     Do you think it was pure accident in Ephesians 6:16 when Paul told the Saints in Ephesus, "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked"? I sincerely hope you don't think it was accident. The devil would love to get us to stop believing and give up faith. If he makes us stop believing, then he has us right where he wants us! If we don't have faith, we can't overcome the world. 1John 5:4 says,"For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
     Faith is an inward thing that has to be outwardly applied. Faith keeps us going even when trials seem endless and pain grips us with such sorrow our soul wills to die. I realize faith is not the gospel in it's entirety, but a portion of the entire gospel. I know faith does not take away the trials in life, and doesn't take all our hurts away. But, sometimes I just need to remember faith is the victory. Jesus is the author and finisher of my faith. In this I find a strange sense of comfort and I lay my trust in the Lord once again because He is on the throne and He sees and Knows ever aspect of my life from beginning to end.
             Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from Him cometh my salvation. Psalms 62:1