How can we have faith in God when there are reasons to doubt?
Nov 24, 2009
The Case for Grace - part ten in a study of the book of Romans
Mike Gaudet
How can we have faith in God when there are reasons to doubt?
Doubt 25
Faith 0
When Abraham turned 75, God promised him that he would become a father. He turned 80 . . . still no children. He turned 90 . . . still no children. He turned 100 . . . still no children.
Abraham had 25 good reasons to doubt God . . . 25 birthdays sitting across from a chair as empty as the promise that pledged to fill it with a son.
How can faith survive when reasons not to believe are piling up?
“Against 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.” Without 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. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:18-21
Abraham’s 25 year vigil is an example of faith. Faith is belief in God’s faithfulness in spite of evidence to the contrary. How did Abraham’s belief in God survive the onslaught of mounting evidence not to believe?
Let’s begin by noticing what he did not do.
Abraham did not “stick his head in the sand.” He “faced” the facts. He did not look away from the condition of his body. He did not look away from the condition of Sarah’s womb. He faced the reality of his situation.
Faith faces reality.
Faith that relies on denial is not real faith. Real faith does not turn away from reasons not to believe. The kind of faith that ignores problems and avoids questions is “thin” and fragile. It is not tough enough to contend with the realities of life in this world.
So, what did Abraham do?
Abraham focused on God. He not only looked at his problems, he also looked at God’s character. He believed that “God had power to do what He had promised.”
Faith does not focus on problems.
When we focus on our problems, our faith becomes dependent on our circumstances . . . and circumstances change. When life is good our faith lives. When life is difficult our faith dies.
Faith does not focus on faith.
When we focus on our faith, our faith becomes dependent on our thoughts and feelings . . . and our thoughts and feelings change. When we feel certain our faith lives. When we feel uncertain our faith dies.
Faith focuses on God.
When we focus on God, our faith becomes dependent on God’s commitments . . . and God’s commitments do not change. Faith draws strength from gazing at God’s character and commitments.
Glance at problems.
Glance at thoughts and feelings.
Gaze at God’s character and commitments.
Our faith will live when our “gaze” and our “glance” are in the right place.