I attended a funeral this week, where the priest made a reference to us being there because “God did not answer our prayers for a miracle.” We were there to say farewell to an incredible soul, and many people felt both shock and hurt over all of it. The priest also mentioned having questions for God, feeling both anger and a complete lack of understanding.

When we say goodbye to someone, we are hit with an insurmountable level of grief, and oftentimes, when we think of having “faith,” we associate that term with believing, with being optimistic for the future, and with maintaining a confident trust in what we know.

Our Faith

Having faith also directly correlates to healing. Our faithfulness is what establishes our closeness to God.

Matthew 9:20-22 states:

“And behold, a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind Him, and touched the border of His cloak; for she was saying to herself, ‘If I only touch His cloak, I will get well.’ But Jesus, turning and seeing her, said, ‘Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.’ And at once the woman was made well.”

Having faith in the Lord and His intervention in our lives can make all the difference. This doesn’t mean that you change your career to ministry or you must have more faith than anyone else in the room. You may struggle with faith in discouraging or devastating moments in your life, but even the smallest indication of your faith in the Savior will be enough to change everything.

Matthew writes:

“And He said to them, ‘Because of your meager faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’” Matthew 17:20

God’s Faithfulness

So what about God’s faithfulness to us? The Bible reminds us in a multitude of areas that God remains faithful in His love and grace according to His plan for our lives:

“Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His faithfulness to a thousand generations for those who love Him and keep His commandments.”  Deuteronomy 7:9

“In Your faithfulness You have led the people whom You have redeemed; In Your strength You have guided them to Your holy habitation.” Exodus 15:13

“He said, ‘Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like You in heaven or on earth, keeping Your covenant and Your faithfulness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart.’” 2 Chronicles 6:14

“But I have trusted in Your faithfulness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.” Psalm 13:5

“Certainly, goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for the one who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He proves to be One who rewards those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

When we find ourselves in trauma, in the depths of despair, confusion, and brokenness, Isaiah and Paul remind us that God’s ways are nothing like ours. His plan and purpose can come out of anything we present to Him, any choice we make, any mistake we have, any anguish we feel, wrongdoing done to us, any grief or pain we feel, and any area where we think His intervention may be impossible in any positive way.

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Romans 8:28

 ^“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

The Faith of Our Friends

We often pray for one another, but have you thought about how important that prayer is according to God’s Word? The faith of believers can change the entire course of someone’s life.

James 5:16 states:

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.”

In Luke, a story is documented where a paralyzed man is brought on a stretcher but cannot get close to Jesus, so his friends lower him through the roof of the house Jesus was preaching from, and because of THEIR faith–the faith of the man’s friends–Jesus healed him.

Luke 5:18-20

^“And some men were carrying a man on a stretcher who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. But when they did not find any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. And seeing their faith, He said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.”

How incredible is that!? The faith of our friends can make a difference in our outcomes. When I tell someone that I am praying for them, I absolutely do it. I never leave those words empty or meaningless because that prayer means everything and could mean the difference in the course of events. That person is counting on that prayer from me because I promised it. It may not change a certain outcome, and it’s natural to feel defeated, worry, or confusion over why those prayers went unanswered. We have to remember that we are not privy to every single event, conversation, or action taking place in the course of our lives or those of others, so we have to trust and have faith in God’s plan and that He can ultimately bring good out of any situation.

Never be afraid of telling someone your prayer requests, having them pray for you and with you, and always remember that when you offer to pray for someone, you are coming to God on their behalf, (a) as a believer in prayer and faith in the Lord, (b) as a member of God’s kingdom, and (c) as a friend in Christ.

I hope you find encouragement in your faith, strength in the Lord Almighty, and position prayer in your life often to establish that closeness with God.

God bless,

M