Enduring faith

Whether it be while waiting for what we believe to be a needed miracle, or simply living day-by-day, it seems what we all need—perhaps now more than ever—is enduring faith. Faith to endure, or resting in and continuing to grow in faith: it matters not how we think of ‘enduring faith’ but that we have it, know it, and live in it.

How many wrong theologies have grown up and infected believers in attempts to explain the unexplainable?

‘Why did my friend die?’
‘Why did my evangelistic effort seem to go so badly?’
‘Why does my child not speak to me?’
‘Why am I sick?’
‘Why did that horrible accident happen?’
‘Why? Why? WHY?’

We can all add to that list our own ‘why’s’ and yet, we must not try to ‘explain it away’ with our own theology, our own ‘theory’ of why or why not … in other words, our own theology.

“We must not create a theology around what doesn’t happen,” as Bill Johnson sums it up so succinctly.

Mother Teresa, oh she of such apparent huge faith, had a great reply when someone with, to him, an unbearable and seemingly insoluble problem asked her to pray for him.

“What do you want to me to pray?” the tiny wonder-worker asked.

“Please, pray that I will have clarity,” he beseeched her.

“No, I won’t.”

“WHY?” the inquirer wondered.

“I pray you will have trust,” she replied.

In all the trials of life, we may not have clarity, but we can have trust. And really, what else is enduring faith but TRUST in He in Whom our faith rests, come what may.