Where is your faith? – October 21, 2022

[Jesus said] “However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Luke 18:8

Where is your faith?

“I give up.” How long does it take for you to get to that point? You’ve tried it once. You’ve tried it a second time. And then you decide, “I give up.”

There are times when we should simply give up. For instance, if we’re attempting to dunk a basketball through a ten-foot hoop, but we’re only five-foot, two-inches tall—with a vertical leap of four inches—we can try and try and try again, but we’re never going to succeed. We don’t have the necessary gifts.

Other times, it’s a matter of training. Five-year-olds should “give up” driving a car even before they attempt it once! Not only do they not have the necessary gifts, but they also don’t have the necessary training.

Under certain circumstances, it’s appropriate and wise to conclude, “I give up.”

So, is it okay to draw that conclusion about Christian prayer? Is it ever appropriate to say to ourselves and our heavenly Father, “I give up?” Never! And the reason is simple: all things are possible with God. It is impossible to pray for something that God is incapable of giving us. When we place our faith in him, we are trusting the One who has all things under his control, even death itself.

Does that mean that God will always give us what we want? Of course not, because we don’t always want for ourselves what would be best for us. Human parents understand this. Their children might ask to eat ice cream for every meal, but good parents will deny that request—even though they could fulfill it—because they love their children and want what’s best for them.

Our heavenly Father wants what’s best for us. And, above all else, what does he want for us? Eternal life! He wants it so much he sent his own son, Jesus, to earn it for us through his perfect life and innocent death. So he’s not interested in giving us anything that would get in the way of that eternal goal.

So be persistent and patient in prayer. Then trust that God’s answer is always best for you—eternally.

Prayer:
Jesus, help me trust the answers that you give to all my prayers. Amen.