I felt like such a hypocrite. I was sitting at my Bible study desk preparing to teach a lesson on Hebrews Chapter 6. In this passage, we look at Abraham, the great man of old, who through “faith and patience” inherited the promises of God. Then, I looked at my own life and faith compared to Abraham’s. The enemy came in low and strong and dealt me a devastating punch.
“Lisa, you are such a hypocrite. How can you teach about faith when you don’t have any?”
Have you ever looked at the life of another person and compared your faith to theirs? Have you seen someone with great faith for healing and your own faith is lacking? Perhaps you know people who have amazing faith for provision and you see God provide for them in miraculous ways, yet you struggle to believe that God will provide for you and your family.
Often it seems like others have a deep abiding faith and our own faith, in comparison, seems puny and ineffective. That is when the devil, our accuser, comes in and dogs us. He points out all of the areas where our faith, by comparison, is not as strong or as good as that of our friends.
I’ve been very honest about my own struggles with faith, especially faith for my own physical healing. And that morning, as I compared my own faith to Abraham’s great faith, this is what I heard in my mind: “Lisa Moore, the Bible teacher, who through “doubt and unbelief” inherited nothing.” After that, I didn’t even want to teach the stupid Bible study lesson. I didn’t want to talk about Abraham and his faith. I just wanted to stay home and shut up.
It was at this point of defeat that Holy Spirit spoke to me, “Healing is not the only place to have faith.”
Wow. I had branded my faith as a whole as a failure because I was struggling in one aspect of my faith. There are many aspects of my life where I have great faith, but healing? Not so much.
What about you? Do you have great faith for revival but you struggle to believe that God will provide for your family? Do you have an abiding faith in God’s hand over our nation and government, but you struggle to believe that your prodigal daughter will return home? Do you declare God’s Word that all Israel will be saved, but you don’t fully believe that God will save your own husband?
Family. Provision. Children. Marriage. Health. These are the anvils on which our faith is tested. But do we have to believe perfectly in every area of testing for God to be pleased with us?
“I believe,” said Thomas the doubter. “Help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:24)
For me, I have a deep abiding faith that God loves me and that my salvation is secure. I believe in His great plans and purposes for my family. I trust that He has plans for me personally, as a blogger and leader and speaker. I know that He is leading me daily by His Holy Spirit. I have great faith in the power of God’s World to transform lives.
Does my temporary doubt in healing disqualify me from God’s service or His pleasure? The devil screams, “Yes! Lisa, you are such a hypocrite, teaching the Bible when you have no faith. You will never have a strong faith. You will always be a failure.”
He may be screaming the same things at you. How do we respond? Just. One. Word.
“Jesus.”
I have no other defense but that: Jesus. The blood of Jesus not only paid for my sin but it covers my imperfections and my failures and my struggles. In every area that I am inadequate, the blood of Jesus makes up the balance. I don’t have to be perfect or have a perfect faith. I don’t even have to pretend like I do.
We might suck at faith, but God loves us anyway. People might be disappointed in us, but God has an abundance of grace to send our way. In fact, His grace is sufficient for us in our weakness, even our weak faith.
And as God looks down at us, at our own very personal faith struggles, He knows that our temporary doubt is not the end of our faith story. He is always at work in us and growing our faith through trials and victories. Jesus, after all, is the author and perfector of our faith.
So be encouraged my friend, even if you are struggling in your faith. Lean on Jesus, and trust that He will strengthen your faith where it is weak. And the next time that the devil dogs you about an area where your faith is weak, give God thanks for where your faith is strong. And call upon the Name that is above every name:
Jesus.
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