Yesterday’s blog post pondered the topic: What is Faith?
I want to delve a little deeper into that thought today – and ponder how faith and hope are inextricably interconnected and intertwined.
Yesterday, we stood outside the sheer rock wall, at the end of a dead-end trail, and we considered whether or not to get down on our hands and knees and crawl into the teeny tiny hole, into the darkness beyond.
The point was made yesterday, how that this is a good picture of what faith is like. We know there is an amazing cave somewhere on the other side. But we can’t see it from here. We have to have faith … and crawl through the “entryway.”
The point was also made yesterday, that the “entryway” when it comes to Faith – is Jesus.
The verse which I shared yesterday was Romans 5:1-2
“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.”
It is by faith in Jesus Christ that we gain access! We gain access to grace and forgiveness of sin! We gain access to peace! We gain access to God! We gain access to Heaven!
So we, by faith, crawl into the teeny tiny hole.
The photo I shared yesterday showed that the small, claustrophobic tunnel entrance soon opened up into a vast, spacious cave.
The cave which hubby and I visited had experienced, several months back, an overwhelming flashflood! As a result, water had poured in through the teeny tiny hole. Thankfully, by the time we visited, the entrance wasn’t muddy and boggy anymore. A soggy board lay in place upon which we could crawl.
In life, hard things happen! Things which feel like an overwhelming flashflood! Things which cause torrents of tears to pour down our cheeks!
We feel like we are crawling on our hands and knees, in the darkness of the cave, through mucky muddy bogginess!
Or perhaps, instead of bogging down in muddy muck … sometimes we feel like we are crawling over rough, rocky terrain which is painful and sharp. It hurts! Every bit of progress forward hurts!
We feel like our hands and knees are bleeding.
It seems as if the dark cave-tunnel we are crawling through goes on and on … and we can’t see a light anywhere ahead.
It is in this situation, that Romans 5:3-5 states that we can have joy … and hope.
“And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance produces character; character produces hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” – Romans 5:3-5
That does not make sense.
How is it possible to have joy … and hope … in the middle of suffering??
It is here that our faith says:
* God is right here with me in this darkness!
* God is right here with me in this torrent of tears!
* God is right here with me in this pain!
I have hope! Because I have faith!
Our faith says:
* God is right here with me in this never-ending painful cave-tunnel!
* God is going to bring me through this!
* God is teaching me something through this! I can’t see it right now … but I know he is teaching me something through this!
I have hope! Because I have faith!
* I know God will give me the strength I need to persevere!
* I know God is for me! God is not against me!
* I know God loves me!
I have hope! Because I have faith!
What is hope??
Hope is an outworking of faith.
“But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?” – Romans 8:24
I might not be able to see a light at the end of the cave-tunnel … and I might be crawling through mud … but I know that my God is able! I know that my God will take care of me! I know that my God answers prayer!
I have hope! Because I have faith!
“But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” – Romans 8:25
Yes, this trial is awful! But I know God is working, even through this! I know I am getting something from this … something which will make me a stronger person! I know God is developing perseverance in me!
I have hope! Because I have faith!
What is hope??
Hope is an outworking of faith.
