Defiant JoySample

The Gift of Faith

During my teens and early twenties, I’d lay awake at night worrying if the reason that I had no joy was because I had no faith. And if I had no faith, did God really love me? The harder I tried to muster up faith and joy, the more depressed and frustrated I became.

If you’re in a valley of the shadow right now (Psalm 23:4), weeping in the darkness, desperate for a drop of faith, know that your faith is in far more capable hands than your own.

I know dear Christians who believe that unless they can work up enough faith to move a mountain, cure terminal cancer, or bring a child back from the dead, their faith must not be good enough for Jesus.

This misconception renders us immune to joy. If we believe our faith isn’t good enough for Jesus, how can we ever be happy? If God is the kind of Father who would withhold blessings, health, or even life because we failed to measure up, how can we ever feel forgiven?

The Bible shows us that faith, like joy, isn’t something you can fabricate. Paul tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and [faith] is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). In Hebrews we read that Jesus is the founder and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2).

Faith is not from you. It’s a birthday present to you from God. It was given to you the moment you were born again. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of your faith, but it does mean that faith is something you can’t produce on your own and aren’t expected to.

It was Jesus who softened your heart and lead you to trust in him. It was Jesus who gave you the courage and faith to seek him out. Take heart! Be defiantly joyful! Because in your darkest moments—when you’re hemorrhaging fear, wrecked by abandonment, and even despairing of life itself—He is drawing you close, planting seeds of faith in your heart, because he loves you.

Lord, draw near to me today, even when I don’t feel I can draw near to you. Plant faith in my heart and let me feel your presence! Amen.