When Faithfulness is fully mature, I am invincible.
All Fruit flows from the character of our Father. We can be Faithful because He is Faithful. You are made in His image and He lives in you. To know that you know that your eternal Heavenly Father is Faithful is tremendously empowering. Faithfulness knows, that it knows, that “all things work together for good,” Rom 8:28. That is invincible faithfulness! Oh, how desperate our souls are for this fruit!
Waiting faithfully allows my spirit and Holy Spirit to grow and work together.
While your flesh nudges, pokes, shouts, or throws an all-out tantrum for gratification now, waiting allows your spirit and Holy Spirit to grow together focused on long-term everlasting blessing. Good things take time. Waiting is time for good things to grow. So even though it’s not easy, especially at first, as much as you are able to, dig into waiting, and don’t surrender to tantrums. It’s a time of preparation.
The Lord may be pruning branches, and digging up some roots – to stimulate new growth. Remember, Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” Jn 15:2, so please, please, please embrace the process. The Lord is making you Faithful!
The areas I surrender to Him produce Faithfulness.
The sooner we embrace this fact, the better. Even if you were to face the extreme threat of harm, deprivation or death, your GPS will always point you to a shelter of hope in the storm, either in the world, or inside your soul: “…God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” 1 Cor 10:13. Surrender it to Him and Holdfast. When tempted to fear, surrender your fear to Faith. “…the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one” 2 Thess 3:3.
When tempted to hate, when disappointment or trouble comes, learn to remind yourself, remind yourself, remind yourself:
- Your primary goal is NOT to protect your BODY from harm.
- Your primary goal IS to protect your SOUL from harm!
- The Gardener’s goal is to complete His work of salvation in you.
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it” 1 Thess 5:23-24.
You WILL face storms. Face them in such a way that you are able to look back one day, and can say those were among the most precious times in your life – even if it takes looking back from heaven! Remind yourself what your primary goal is to protect your SOUL from harm.
The cost to losing faith.
Sarah and Abraham didn’t wait, and it has been regretted by every generation since. Abraham was 75 when the Lord told him he was going to father a great nation (Gen 12 & 13.) Even though he was a great man of faith, he was also a man of flesh. Human “wisdom” won out over God’s Word. The same battle, different generation.
After waiting 24 years he lost patience and which of us would blame him? Like you and I do so many, many times, rather than being still and waiting for the Lord, he went ahead of God. Having a child with a servant, instead of waiting for his wife to become pregnant, didn’t turn out well (Gen 16.) That son’s people, the Arabs, have been fighting and killing Israelites ever since. There is a cost to faith. As Psalm 37:8 warns: “Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.”
You may be in a vulnerable moment right now. You have questions for God like Abraham did, but God remains silent,“Be still and wait patiently for the Lord” Ps 37:7. Faithfulness trusts the position of being still and waiting patiently for Him. The Lord holds it all. Remember, your reaction is a measure of your current level of faith.
Praise the Lord with David, singing “I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry… Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust… your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me! For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me… my heart fails me… But… may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!” …I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer…” Ps 40:1-17.
In my best version, I am Faithful – no matter the circumstance.
Unfortunately, Faithfulness is extremely rare. It’s always been that way. “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?” Prov 20:6. But remember, the Lord isn’t teasing you with something impossible, He’s inviting you to the greatest adventure.
Between the possible and impossible the Lord is looking for ordinary men to release unconditional Faithfulness. Don’t run from the call of God when the going gets tough. You must choose to be faithful even unto death, because He is faithful forever. We “do not need to fear any of those things which we may suffer, so we can be faithful even in death, knowing that He will give us the crown of life” Rev 2:10.
Man of God: When I am tempted to be unfaithful, surrender my temptation – into Faith.
You can’t trust what your physical senses tell you. You CAN trust the Lord – who works all things for good. This world is NOT our home. Our best situation here is nothing compared to our future reward.
We desire a better home, a Kingdom not of this world, Jn 18:36, 1 Pe 2:11-12, Phil 3:20, 1 Jn 2:15-17. Even when He is silent, and we see no escape, we don’t give our attention to the darkness, we give our attention to the Lord our God. THAT is Faithfulness.
Hold onto Him for, “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it,”“for the Lord preserves the faithful,” and “A faithful man will abound with blessings…” 1 Thess 5:24, Rom 8:28, Ps 31:23, Prov 28:20.
PRACTICE
Self Assessment Journaling:
If everyone were as Faithful as me, what would the world look like? What kind of church would there be? Would anyone have someone to share Christ with them? Would the church even exist if everyone was as faithful as me? How would my community look? Would it be said that “Christians are the BEST employees, I LOVE to hire Christians.”
Would it be said that “Christians are the BEST employers, I LOVE to work for Christians.” Would children feel deeply loved, supported, encouraged, and believed in? Would they dream of beautiful futures?
Am I a person who can be counted on, no matter how the winds blow? What is one thing I can change? If I make a promise, do I give it my all to keep it? What is one thing I can focus on here?
Do you have a family?
Am I truly Faithful to my spouse? What one thing can I change?
Am I truly Faithful to our children? What one thing can I change in this area?
