Faith = Jesus > MeSample

Do You Have a Sword?

Sometimes, we feel discouraged or disappointed because our faith seems to be on a rollercoaster—rising and falling, ebbing and flowing. Our minds often get tangled up in confusion, doubt, and a lack of understanding. There are times our lives are often marked by faith, but also by fear and worry.

Don’t be disheartened.

Think about Abraham, our great example of faith. Even he had moments of doubt and then his faith was wavering. For instance, he took Hagar as his wife, prompted by his wife Sarah, trying to help God fulfill His promise. This attempt led to future complications with the birth of Ishmael. Abraham even tried to bargain with God, saying, “If only you would accept Ishmael!”

Then, when Abraham was in Philistine territory, he was afraid. He seemed to forget that the Lord who never fails was more than capable of protecting him. Instead of trusting and surrendering, Abraham tried to "sell" his wife Sarah to Abimelech to save himself. But God intervened and rescued them.

Isaac did something similar. Out of fear, he also announced that Rebekah was his sister, again, when he was in the Philistine territory.

David, who had bravely defeated the giant Goliath, once fled from Saul and went to the priest Ahimelech, asking, “Do you have a spear or sword of any kind around here? I didn’t have a chance to grab my weapons. The king’s mission was urgent and I left in a hurry.”

The priest said, “The sword of Goliath, the Philistine you killed at Oak Valley—that’s here! It’s behind the Ephod wrapped in a cloth. If you want it, take it. There’s nothing else here.”

“Oh,” said David, “there’s no sword like that! Give it to me!”

Wow!

Do we remember, when David faced Goliath, what did he bring with him? Just five smooth stones and a sling. He even refused to wear the full armor made of iron. Yet now, David seemed to forget this and praised Goliath’s sword as his source of strength.

David then made a grave mistake when he committed adultery with Bathsheba, and to make matters worse, he had her husband Uriah killed. But when confronted, David immediately repented, crying out, “Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me!” (Psalm 51:11). Compare this to Cain’s story, where after killing Abel, he fled from the presence of the Lord.

Then there’s Jacob. When he was about to meet Esau, he was terrified. At first, he arranged for everyone to go ahead of him while he stayed back. Yet, this was the same Jacob who had encountered God multiple times and had just seen God scatter his enemies at Shechem. But after wrestling with God at Peniel, Jacob’s faith was renewed, and he went ahead to meet Esau.

After losing Joseph and during the famine, Jacob sent his sons to Egypt. When they returned without Simeon, Jacob lamented, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!” He complained repeatedly, saying his sorrow would carry him to the grave!

And do you remember the story of the father whose son was possessed by an evil spirit? He begged Jesus, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (In some manuscripts, it’s mentioned that the father said this with tears). Jesus cast out the evil spirit and healed the boy.

I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.

That’s often how our journey of faith looks. Our faith might not always be strong and fervent, but just coming to Jesus—even in our doubts—is the kind of faith that breaks through and opens the door of heaven.

“Christ never failed to distinguish between doubt and unbelief. Doubt is "can't believe"; unbelief is "won't believe." Doubt is honesty; unbelief is obstinacy. Doubt is looking for light; unbelief is content with darkness,” as Henry Drummond, a colleague of evangelist D.L. Moody, once said.

Or as theologian Paul Tillich put it; doubt is part of the journey of faith. True faith includes elements of uncertainty and questioning. Doubt is not the opposite of faith; it’s an element of faith.

So, let’s not be discouraged if our journey is accompanied by doubts and questions. They are part of the faith journey.

At its core, faith is simple: Jesus is good, and Jesus is greater than me. I might not understand everything, and doubts and questions might arise from time to time—or even frequently.

That’s okay.

Our part is to keep walking with God, like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, even when their journey wasn’t smooth. Keep coming into His presence, even when we fall into sin and are overwhelmed by guilt, like David. Come as you are, even bringing your doubts, like the father in the story above.

I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.