Devotional: Fully Convinced

Fully Convinced

"What then shall we say that Abraham our father [of faith] has found according to the flesh" (Romans 4:1)? This is a good question; and one I have meditated on this week as I've pondered on faith and trust in God. Our oldest son Benjamin was in an accident that burned 25% of his body. Even as I write this, he is in the Burn ICU recovering from his wounds.

There are only one of two things a parent can do in this situation: have faith in God or carry a burden of worry and fear. You cannot do both. Thankfully, I have hidden God's Word in my heart and it has risen up and brought great comfort to me. David was right when he said, "Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction" (Psalm 119:92).

So in trials such as mine, it's natural for us to want to DO something - although there is really nothing we can do... Or is there? According to the Bible, we can have faith like Abraham. "What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.' Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt" (Romans 4:1-4). Synonyms for the word "work" include effort, exertion, labor, toil, and drudgery. And the last thing any of us need when we are facing a trial is toil and drudgery. Battles are not won when we are weak and tired. Yet because we feel helpless, we try to fight our battle from a "works" standpoint instead of out of faith. Somewhere we got it in our head that faith means we are doing nothing. But in all actuality, when we are in faith we are partnering with heaven.

"[For the one] who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: '[Oh, what joy] Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; [Yes, what joy] Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin'" (Romans 4:5-8). Some might say, "Daphne, this scripture is talking about forgiveness of sin, not healing." But my answer to that is when God cleansed us of all unrighteousness, He also gave us "everything that pertains to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3).

I heard one minister explain it this way: When God took care of the root problem of sin, He also took care of all the fruit of sin, including sickness. This is why Jesus said, "Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise, take up your bed and walk’" (Mark 2:9)? Jesus viewed them as being related. So when Scripture encourages us about God's atonement for sin, we can also be encouraged that it transcends into other areas of our life also.

Paul said, "Therefore it is OF FAITH that it might be ACCORDING TO GRACE, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all" (Romans 4:16). We must remember that every step we take is "of faith...according to grace" and not according to our works. And this is what faith looks like:

"[Abraham] believed God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; and contrary to [natural] hope, in [spiritual] hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, 'So shall your descendants be.' And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform" (Romans 4:17-21).

Abraham believed God. I believe God. I am fully convinced His Word is true and that we will have victory in the midst of this trial. I have not lost heart because I am confident I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13). Just as Abraham chose not to rely only on "natural" hope (what you can do based on what others are saying), but instead chose to believe according to "spiritual" hope (what GOD can do based on what HE HAS SAID), I have chosen the same.

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:1-2). So I've learned that through faith, we have an entrance into grace. And grace then gives us present and future security as we stand firmly in God's past completed action in Christ. And ultimately, I know faith always triumphs in trouble. As Paul said, "Not only [do we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God], but we also glory [and shine] in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now [spiritual] hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Romans 5:3-5).

The trials aren't enjoyable, but the life of faith is. I believe God's Word and I will not change what I believe just because it is now my son in the bed. Like Abraham, I won't waver in believing God’s promise. In fact, I'm certain my faith will grow stronger because I am fully convinced God is able to do whatever He promises.