I enjoy a bit of hiking and I have had multiple opportunities to do so on our vacations. It amazes me how we can go from an unremarkable, difficult, and narrow path, only to find in time it opens up to reveal an incredible vista of previously unseen or hidden beauty. I remember making a difficult upward and uneven one-mile climb on one of our vacations to Oregon—Multnomah Falls—a hike that involved eleven switchbacks [zig-zagging turns]. There were many opportunities to turn back, but I am so grateful a friend and I stayed the course and finally arrived at the top because the view of the Columbia River Gorge was spectacular and the feelings of overcoming the difficulties rewarding!
On Sunday, during our worship time, we sung and shared about the believer’s faith in the Son of God, as well as the challenges we face as a result of following his lead into obeying God’s commandments. Faith in the Lord opens the door for upward climbs in his character and the way is narrow and difficult! We must remember how the troubles God allows to come our way—stimulus—call for both a choice and response.
Because God loves us and wants a closer relationship with us, he will allow us to experience obstacles and challenges to our faith, so we will make the choice to press on, overcome, and become more mature in holy love like Jesus. When we experience difficult circumstances, conflict, or even fear, God wants us to make a choice to reach for our Holy Helper who will give us eyes to see from a higher perspective and then act according to God’s love. For example, the Word of God reminds us patience is produced in us by enduring and overcoming hardships (Ro 5:3). Will we allow our faith in Christ to lead us toward righteous fruit production—love, joy, peace, and patience, etc.—or will we instead wrestle God for control, blame others, and try to avoid every difficulty that would make us spiritually mature?
According to Hebrews 11:1, “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.” We need our faith to climb and reach higher, by enduring the difficulties that are meant to spiritually stimulate our faith and give us eyes to see and experience the saving power of Almighty God. Believers pray to experience and enjoy more and more of God’s presence, perspective, and power, but what if this is only accomplished when we allow genuine love to mold and shape us by trials to our faith, difficulties we do not understand, and many switchbacks? Believers are being transformed into the image of Christ and the “hike” involves sacrifice and some suffering if we are going to experience his glory (2 Cor 3:18). Remember, the best view comes after the hardest climb!
John 5:1-5 NLT Faith in the Son of God
1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ [Messiah] has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. 2 We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your enduring love for us. Please help us to endure in the faith for you. We want to grow, produce, and exercise the fruit of your character and we understand it calls for a choice. Help us to wisely discern your righteous direction by allowing your love to define even our challenging circumstances. In Jesus’ name. Amen.