…whose ways you may not understand at the time.
We need faith and deliberate confidence in the character of God, especially when we don’t understand His ways. He is worthy of our trust even when we can’t imagine what He may be doing in our lives. Faith is making a conscious and intentional choice to place our confidence in the character of God in spite of circumstances and feelings.
This is a guest post by Beth Harris. She is a wife, mother, Bible study leader and volunteer editor for markalanwilliams.net.
I’ve had many opportunities to trust in the character of God through times of testing during the past 30 years. There have been trials, hardships and difficulties. Currently our family is dealing with long-term chronic and incurable disease, a variety of other health issues; and family members with difficult challenges.
These hard circumstances have caused me to have doubts at times. But, I have witnessed the character of God displayed through these tests. I have seen His grace and kindness in each trial. I am learning to have confidence in the character of God, even when circumstances seem to contradict the fact that He is good and loving.
Many people put their faith and confidence in people because they trust them, but how much more should we trust the faithful and unchanging character of God?
God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19 NIV)
God will always keep His word and remain true but, sometimes life is painful and feelings can cloud our perception of God. In fact, our feelings can mislead and deceive us about the character of God.
To know about the character of God, we must turn to the Bible. When we know His character, we understand that He is always worthy of praise.
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)
We trust in the character of God and His promise that He is working for our good.
When we don’t understand life, we need a faith that is confident in the character of God.
The character of God needs to be deeply ingrained in our hearts and minds, so that our faith will stand firm during trials.
Here are some of God’s wonderful character traits:
Faithful – 1 Corinthians 1:9
Loving – Psalm 25:10
Compassionate – Psalm 86:5
Merciful – Luke 6:36
Just – Psalm 111:7
Righteous – Psalm 65:5
Good – Psalm 143:10
The LORD is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.(Psalm 103:8 NLT)
Oftentimes, I try to analyze and figure out why things are happening in my life. But, this is often an exercise in futility.
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV)
Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” (NLT)
Because His thoughts and ways are too great for us to understand; we need an unwavering faith and trust in the character of God.
Do you have faith in God even when you don’t understand His ways?
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Faith is the deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time. –Oswald Chambers | CLICK TO TWEET
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