Faith leading to hope

Psalm 119:30 (NLT)

30 I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by your regulations.

Here in this verse we see David making a clear and deliberate choice as to how he will live out his faith. He is choosing to walk in this faith, not because he doesn’t know another way, but instead because he knows no better way than what he has come to believe.

When the prayer made in faith is not answered, and the healing for which many have sought does not come, we are not to look for someone to accuse of failure in faith. Rather we are to remember that besides faith there is hope. Hope has to do with God's promises that are still future and hidden, just as faith has to do with God's promises that are here and now. To the person who has believed for today but has not seen the answer come today, there comes the call to hope. Hope says, "Tomorrow also is God's. Enough has happened already to assure you that the rest is on the way."

[Thomas Smail, quoted in Ken Blue's Authority to Heal]

There are times when it seems God just doesn’t answer our prayers, yet God may have a greater a purpose; a purpose that is for the future. We still need to be determined to live by God’s regulations and let our hope stay anew that we know God has an answer, even when it may not be the one we desire. For God’s work includes everyone and not just us as an individual.

I think of the group of missionaries who went into the jungle to show a tribal culture the meaning of Christianity. They prayed this tribe might learn about Christ and be saved; yet they were killed by the hands of those they took the message to. Years later their families went to the same tribe, but this time the tribe listened, they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ and this tribe was saved. The deaths of the missionaries had not been in vain, but instead were a preparation for future events to come.

Father please allow hope to stay alive within us. Let us know there are times when our prayers are not answered directly, but the answers will come in the future. Let us be assured of our faith and our hope in You and may we never turn away from Your will that You have established for us. In Jesus name, Amen.