Part Four: 1 Timothy 4:12 - Faith

1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” “O LORD, The world is artful to entrap, approaches in fascinating guise, extends many a gilded bait, presents many a charming face. Let my faith scan every painted bauble, and escape every bewitching snare in a victory that overcomes all things. In my duties give me firmness, energy, zeal, devotion to thy cause, courage in thy name, love as a working grace, and all commensurate with my trust. Let faith stride forth in giant power, and love respond with energy in every act. I often mourn the absence of my beloved Lord whose smile makes earth paradise, whose voice is sweetest music, whose presence gives all graces strength. But by unbelief I often keep him outside my door. Let faith give entrance that he may abide with me forever.” From The Valley of Vision – Faith and the World “I bless thee that thou hast given me the eye of faith, to see thee as Father, to know thee as covenant God, to experience thy love planted in me; for faith is the grace of union by which I spell out my entitlement to thee: faith casts my anchor upwards where I trust in thee and engage thee to be my Lord. Be pleased to live and move within me, breathing in my prayers, inhabiting my praises, speaking in my words, moving in my actions, living in my life, causing me to grow in grace. Thy bounteous goodness has helped me believe, but my faith is weak and wavering, its light dim, its steps tottering, its increase slow, its backsliding frequent; It should scale the heavens, but lies groveling in the dust. Lord, fan this divine spark into glowing flame. When faith sleeps, my heart becomes an unclean thing, the fount of every loathsome desire, the cage of unclean lusts, all fluttering to escape, the noxious tree of deadly fruit, the open wayside of earthly tares. Lord, awake faith to put forth its strength until all heaven fills my soul and all impurity is cast out.” From The Valley of Vision – Faith. Faith. Well, I think that, over the past week or so, God has been trying to say something to me about my faith…and for the longest time, I didn’t want to hear it. For a little while, it can seem so much easier to take things into our own control, trusting on our own strength to hold us up, and not having to rely on anyone else; not having to make ourselves vulnerable. But trusting in our own strength to get places is like running on a treadmill. No matter how hard and fast you run, you aren’t getting anywhere too fast…in fact, when you stop, you’ll see that you’re right back where you were before and loads more exhausted. Faith is trusting God in all things, and believing that there is a purpose behind every circumstance that baffles our finite minds, knowing that he is all-powerful, and that he will keep his promises. Faith is still believing that God will come through, even when everything around us says otherwise. I read the chapter in C.J. Mahaney’s book (“Humility – True Greatness”) called, “Responding Humbly to Trials”. In this chapter he points to Habakkuk as an example of someone who, in his human-ness, felt that God had forgotten him and his people…and yet, after having his eyes opened by God, set us a distinct example for where our hearts should always be in faith. This is how the book of Habakkuk opens: “O Lord, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save?” Habakkuk 1:2 Habakkuk here is in a pit of human despair. He has lost faith in his God, believing that, since what he would say is help and justice has not happened, God isn’t doing anything. Yet, this is how he ends the book: “Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.” Habakkuk 3:17-19 Wow. How did he get to that place where he had complete faith in the Lord, even if all of the good things in his land failed – even to the extent that he would have no food? As C.J. Mahaney put it: “What a surprise! A cataclysmic change has occurred in the disposition of Habakkuk’s heart, and yet there has been absolutely no improvement in his circumstances. Nothing has changed, and yet, for Habakkuk’s heart, everything has changed. He’s no longer puffed up. Instead he’s humbly trusting God. Having been informed by God that the righteous one lives by his faith (2:4), Habakkuk has become an illustration and the personification of that truth. Faith is indeed what he’s now living by.” To think that our way is better than God's way is most definitely pride. How can we change the attitudes of our hearts, even when our circumstances don't seem like they are going to change? How did Habakkuk do it? First off, he talked to God. When he didn’t understand, he cried out to God, and God, in his mercy, answered him. He also waited on the Lord, and was quiet before him. In chapter 3, Habakkuk then recounts the amazing acts of God throughout history. I firmly believe that looking back at what God has done, as we march forward in faith is a wonderful way to remind us of God’s goodness, and to strengthen our hearts in faith, believing that, “with God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). When we are tempted to worry, or forget all that God has worked together for good, we should look back and praise him for where he has brought us, even though we couldn’t see at the time. Worry, complaining, and fear are not ways to be examples of faith in God. In fact, those are all things that can make others take a few steps back and decided that they don’t want what we have. If God is not our all-in-all, what makes us any different from anyone else of any other religion (or lack thereof) – if he is only our “sometimes-when-I-can’t-do-it-by-myself” God…well…what does that say about us, and, more importantly, what does it say about our God? To be true examples of faith, we will have to learn to put aside our own worries and fears, stop all of our complaining (I know someone is thinking “easier said than done”…) and let our hearts be filled with love for our savior. Filled with trust in Him and his perfect plan. Filled with joy and peace and contentment, realizing that there is no better place to be than right where God wants us. And that can only happen when we let go of our pride, and let God take control.