The Kind of Faith This Takes

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. – 1 Peter 1:6-7

A precious friend, who is more like a sister to me, inspired this post.

She told me this story…

I remember when I first got saved, my roommate had a picture of a cat hanging on to a rope with one paw… “Tie a knot in the rope and hang on”… Faith”.

It was easy to not worry back when I was 21 years old and a brand new Christian.

You and I and the friends we know who are suffering…well, for us it’s more like “Take a step off the cliff and let yourself fall (into Jesus’ arms)… Faith”.

Wow, right? Just wow. That gave me chills, it was so profound.

She’s absolutely right. Tying a knot and hanging on seems like a clever saying when we’re breezing along through life, when maybe our biggest stress is what to make for dinner. Not that can’t be stressful, you understand, but I mean, it’s not, well… THIS.

There comes a time when hanging on with our own strength is simply no longer possible.

There comes a time when trusting the strength of that rope is downright foolish and irresponsible.

THIS calls for something bigger, deeper… more.

Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.

Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith. – 2 Corinthians 13:4-5

Jesus Christ is among us. And that leap that THIS requires? We’ll fall right into His arms. And it will be oh-so-worth-it.

Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer. The devil will throw some of you into prison to test you. You will suffer for ten days. But if you remain faithful even when facing death, I will give you the crown of life. – Revelation 2:10

 

Dear God, Thank You for these amazing, insightful friends You have placed in my life. They are constantly pointing me back to You. I’m leaping. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…

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May God Bless You,

Shelly