Act As If God Had Said 'Yes' 2016.10.19

Patience is the latest thing that I am trying to cultivate within myself - I struggle with waiting! It tests, but also refines, our faith. Not only are the ideas & doctrines of our faith challenged, but also the very core of our belief system. Waiting has the power to define us - What will we choose? Stand firm in the faith, or give into disappointment & give up?


I struggle with wanting what others have (not coveting but professional & familial desires of my own). It's difficult, and sometimes painful because the disappointment can be overbearing when others around you have it.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for
and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Faith is real - It is the vehicle to get you from where you are, to where you want to be, to what you are hoping for. But we have to be certain about it, and we have to protect it. We have to have a walk with God where no one can talk us out of it. God is faithful, God is good and God's intent for each of us is love. Does our faith reflect that?


God's love for us, and our faith in Him, will protect our hearts from being disappointed while we wait.

Abraham & Sarah are a great example of faithfulness to God - Romans 4's caption is "Abraham Justified by Faith" even!!! When it comes to cultivating faith, look at how the chapter describes God, the One whom our faith needs to be in:
the God who gives life to the dead
and calls into being things that were not.
Romans 4:17b

We worship the Master over the impossible! He "gave life" to our planet when there was nothing here. He "gave life" when He changed Abram's name to Abraham (which means "Father of many Nations"). God "gave life" to us when we were buried in our sins, and "gave life" to us at the cost of the death of His Son.

But Abraham wasn't truly convinced:
18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." 19Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Roman 4:18-21

This is a great passage because there are some things we can strengthen our faith from:
  • When hope is gone, we must then lean upon supernatural hope.
  • We must rejoice in God's promise as if it has already happened.

"Wha?!!?!"

Yeah, seems impossible but God is the Master over what''s impossible. Maybe this is our starting point. It may not happen overnight - Abraham waited 25rs! But this type of faith will be the vehicle that will carry us through to where hope is realized. (see Hebrews 11:1 again)

"But what if I end up disappointed?!?"

As difficult as this sounds, we need to rejoice & praise God to keep our minds off our circumstances, and on Him & His power to make it happen. That will also protect our heart from disappointment. (see Proverbs 4:23)

We also need to focus & meditate upon God's promises to whatever we're facing. This will help you stand steadfast in Him when well-meaning people try to talk you out of your faith.

We also need to share our disappointments with God, be honest with Him, and then intently listen for His voice. Let Him speak the truth to you, let Him give you perspective, and let His peace overwhelm you.

Maybe this sounds crazy, but isn't that what faith is all about? Believing in something that others may find "crazy"? We worship a god who isn't setting us up to fail - this isn't the beginning of a joke where we end up with egg on our face at the end. Take that first step and exercise your faith as if God has already said "yes".