As a pastor, I've seen many people struggle with feelings of hopelessness, wondering if faith is even worth it when everything seems to be falling apart. But I want to tell you that faith is not about blind optimism or ignoring the difficulties of life. It's about trusting in a God who is holy love, and who has given us His all in Jesus Christ. When we're weak, discouraged, and feel like we can't go on, our sole confidence is in Christ. He will not abandon His own, and we are kept by the power of faith, a divine gift from God.
Faith is not about being strong or having all the answers; it's about surrendering to God's sovereignty and trusting in His goodness, even when we don't understand what's happening. It's about taking action in the present, even when the future seems uncertain. As the Bible says, "If you want vitality in the present, entrust your future to the Lord. If you want to have glimpses of hope for tomorrow, trust God now." (emphasis mine) This doesn't mean we won't face challenges or doubts, but it means we can face them with confidence, knowing that God is working in us, even when we can't see it.
When we have faith, we're not just hoping for a better tomorrow; we're trusting in a God who is already working in our lives, shaping our circumstances, and guiding us towards His purposes. Our faith determines our outcome, and it's not just about our earthly lives; it's about our eternal future. If we have faith in Jesus, we know that our eternal future is secure, and that the Spirit of God will raise us up, just as He raised Jesus from the dead. This is the power of faith, and it's not just a feeling or a concept; it's a living, breathing reality that can transform our lives and give us hope, even in the darkest of times.