Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– John of Kronstadt
Our Faith
Even our faith is a gift from God and cannot ever be earned (Ephesians 2:8-9). That faith, the free gift of God (Romans 6:23b), should serve as an anchor to our souls. The faith that God gives is a gift that cannot be exchanged. So “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:22-23). Adversity can reveal the breadth, height, and width of our faith. So hold fast to that confession of hope, for there’s no reason to waver.
Our Trust
Trusting in man or even in the armies of Egypt is useless (2 King 18, Proverbs 25:19), but our trust is in the Mighty God, Who is mighty to save as many who come to Him. Our trust is only as strong as the Person in Whom we have that trust, and since our trust is in God, we should trust God completely, even in the storms of adversity. God can use the adversity as a rudder for the ship of His purpose, knowing that everything that happens to us will be for our own good (Romans 8:28). The adversity could reveal and then prove that you really do trust God and not your eyes.
God’s Love
Our God is an awesome God because “the LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing” (Zephaniah 3:17). If you’ve never been through an adversity, then just wait–it’s coming. Most everyone I’ve spoken with has gone through some pretty hard places in life, but God reminds us that He’s “in your midst.” He is mighty to save, and after saving you, “he will rejoice over you with gladness.” There’s joy in heaven when only one is saved, as Jesus said, “I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15:7). God quiets us with His love and rejoices over us with His singing, so He has clearly revealed His love for you in Scripture. Take that knowledge with you into the next storm or the storm you’re in right now.
Conclusion
Did God prove His love for us at any better place than on the cross, where the sinless Lamb of God died for the dead and diseased flock (John 3:16)? It was sufficient to grant us peace with God (Romans 5:1), and our condemnation was lifted (Romans 8:1). Let adversities reveal and then prove our faith in God, our trust in Him, and our knowledge that He loved us enough to die for us while still enemies (Romans 5:10).
