Finding Faith in Times of Uncertainty - Biblical Reflections
In times of uncertainty, biblical passages provide comfort, emphasizing faith, resilience, and trust in God's provisions. The verses from 1 Kings, Psalms, Luke, and Hebrews highlight themes of faithfulness, obedience, and holding onto hope without wavering. They encourage believers to trust in God's goodness, even in affliction and hardship. The story of Elijah and the widow shows a reminder of God's grace and mercy, rather than punishment for sin. Reflecting on these teachings can strengthen one's faith journey in challenging times.
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Having Faith in Times Having Faith in Times of Uncertainty of Uncertainty 1 Kings 17:17-24
What has God done for me lately?
But Jesus said to him, No But Jesus said to him, No one who puts his hand to the one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. the kingdom of God. Luke 9:62
God is Faithful and Good God is Faithful and Good
68 You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes. 69 The arrogant have smeared me with lies, but I obey Your precepts with all my heart. Psalm 119:68-71
70 70 Their hearts are hard and Their hearts are hard and insensitive, but I delight in Your insensitive, but I delight in Your instruction. 71 instruction. 71 It was good for me It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could to be afflicted so that I could learn Your statutes. learn Your statutes.
23 23 Let us hold on to the Let us hold on to the confession of our hope confession of our hope without wavering, for He who without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
Does God call our sin to Does God call our sin to remembrance to punish? remembrance to punish?
She said to Elijah, Man of She said to Elijah, Man of God, what do we have in God, what do we have in common? common? Have you come to Have you come to remind me of my guilt and to remind me of my guilt and to kill my son? kill my son? 1 Kings 17:18
11 11 They said to Moses: Is it because They said to Moses: Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What took us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? 12 of Egypt? 12 Isn t this what we told Isn t this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? may serve the Egyptians? Exodus 14:11
It would have been better for us to It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness. the wilderness. Exodus 14:11-12
What is the source of wars and What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don t they come fights among you? Don t they come from the cravings that are at war from the cravings that are at war within you? 2 within you? 2 You desire and do not You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. cannot obtain. You fight and war." "
You do not have because you You do not have because you do not ask. 3 do not ask. 3 You ask and don t You ask and don t receive because you ask with receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your evil desires. spend it on your evil desires." " James 4:1-3
20 20 Then he cried out to the Then he cried out to the LORD and said, My LORD LORD and said, My LORD God, have You also brought God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow I am tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son? staying with by killing her son? 1 Kings 17:20
32 32 For I take no pleasure in For I take no pleasure in anyone s death. This is the anyone s death. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD. declaration of the Lord GOD. So repent and live! So repent and live! Ezekiel 18:32
4 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He because of His great love that He had for us, 5 had for us, 5 made us alive with the made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by in trespasses. You are saved by grace! grace! Ephesians 2:4
God Shows His Love and God Shows His Love and Mercy Mercy
22 22 So the LORD listened to Elijahs So the LORD listened to Elijah s voice, and the boy s life returned to voice, and the boy s life returned to him, and he lived. 23 him, and he lived. 23 Then Elijah took the boy, brought him down took the boy, brought him down from the upper room into the from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. house, and gave him to his mother. Then Elijah
Elijah said, Look, your son is Elijah said, Look, your son is alive. alive. 1 Kings 17:22-23
Do we actually think that God Do we actually think that God sends calamity to remind us of sends calamity to remind us of how sinful we are? how sinful we are?
They show that the work of the They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts will either competing thoughts will either accuse or excuse them 16 accuse or excuse them 16 on the day when God judges what people day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. gospel through Christ Jesus." " Romans 2:15 on the
The Lord does not delay His The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. come to repentance." " 2 Peter 3:9
An Opportunity to Exercise An Opportunity to Exercise Faith Faith
Elijahs faith in the midst of uncertainty Elijah s faith in the midst of uncertainty allows for: allows for: 1. God to demonstrate His life giving 1. God to demonstrate His life giving power. power. 2. God to demonstrate that He is God, not 2. God to demonstrate that He is God, not Baal. Baal. 3. That God is ever listening and watchful 3. That God is ever listening and watchful over His creation. over His creation. 4. That God has compassion towards the 4. That God has compassion towards the believer and unbeliever alike believer and unbeliever alike.
The faith exercise builds up the The faith exercise builds up the widow: widow: 1. The miracle of God helps her to know that 1. The miracle of God helps her to know that Yahweh is in fact the God of all. Yahweh is in fact the God of all. 2. That God will go to any length to prove Himself 2. That God will go to any length to prove Himself - - His existence and love His existence and love - - to human beings, but we still to human beings, but we still have to choose to believe Him. God is loving us have to choose to believe Him. God is loving us constantly to draw us to repent and believe! constantly to draw us to repent and believe! 3. The world has all that it needs in God, that 3. The world has all that it needs in God, that includes the believer. Why do we need to go and includes the believer. Why do we need to go and look elsewhere! look elsewhere!
Thus, as the challenges by death Thus, as the challenges by death grow in intensity, God himself grow in intensity, God himself becomes more actively involved in becomes more actively involved in the life the life- -sustaining process, no longer sustaining process, no longer commanding others, but himself commanding others, but himself taking the initiative against death and taking the initiative against death and overcoming death s challenges. overcoming death s challenges. Hauser
So what indeed has God done So what indeed has God done for you/us lately? for you/us lately?
