Faithfulness

By Kevin Thompson January 2nd 2022

On occasion, someone might ask, “What is God doing in your life right now?” My most common response is, “I don’t know.” That seems like an odd answer from a preacher, someone others consider a professional Christian. But it is the truth. Rare is the case in which I can confidently say precisely what God is doing in my life at any given moment.

While I can’t always identify God’s hand in the present circumstance, without fail, I can look back on my life and see God’s hand always at work. In big ways and small ways, I can look back and see God providentially working in the situations and circumstances of my life.

A repeated theme throughout the history of the nation of Israel was for them to remember what God had done for them. They would continually re-tell the story of God’s deliverance through a variety of situations. This re-telling had a specific purpose. If God had been faithful in the past, He would be faithful in the present.

So it is with us. When we look back and see the steadfast love of God, His hand at work in past circumstances, and His orchestrating events for our benefit, it helps us have faith that God is at work among us even when we can’t see Him.

On a beautiful day, I wake up and look out the window to see the snow-covered Sierra Nevadas. The sun is bright, and the mountains sparkle on the horizon. But there are other winter mornings when I look out the window, and fog is everywhere. Not only can I not see the mountains, but I can also barely see my back fence. Yet, neither scenario changes the reality of the mountains. Just because I can’t see them doesn’t mean the mountains no longer exist. Instead, my experience impacts my present belief.

In the same way, just because we can’t see God at any given moment doesn’t cause us to lose all faith. Instead, we can look back to God’s faithfulness in our past and know He is present with us. In the Old Testament, that was a reminder of God’s never-failing love. In the New Testament, we see the ultimate expression of that love as Jesus died on the Cross. God loves you and is for you. His faithfulness will never fail. While we might be faithless at times, God always lives up to his word.

What is God doing in your life right now? It’s okay not to know, but be sure that God is doing something. Trust that He is at work, and you will be far more likely to obey Him. Do so, and you will never regret it. One day, you'll be able to look back and see God's hand clearly at work.

PSALM 117 (NIV)

Praise the Lord, all you nations;

    extol him, all you peoples.

2 For great is his love toward us,

    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord.

Reflection Questions:

    1. What is the hope about God?

    2. How is that hope for you?

    3. How can you share hope with others today?