Acts 16:31
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.”
Who stands out to you as a person of great faith? A family member or maybe a close friend? A historical or biblical figure? Take your pick and I can almost guarantee that the common denominator in all of our choices would be an incredible steadfastness during tough times.
Thomas Aquinas, an early church theologian and philosopher, said “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” When you reflect on the trials and tribulations of those who seem to be the epitome of faith, what was their response? Were they restless because they couldn’t answer “why” or did they find rest in simply not needing to know?
Maybe you have, in a dark circumstance, desired some sort of an answer – a sign that things will be okay. Maybe you have struggled with the restlessness of needing to understand. Don’t lose heart! Questioning doesn’t mean that you don’t have faith. Elisabeth Elliott wisely stated “Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.”
Having faith is trusting that God will do what He has promised. It is trusting that even when you can’t see the outcome or can’t figure out the whys, that you know in the depth of your heart that you are a child of God and that He has great plans for you. Faith is realizing that, as Max Lucado said, it’s not that “God will do what you want. It’s the belief that God will do what is right.”
Call to Action
As you cultivate faith in your children, a great starting point is teaching them to love God’s Word and to trust in God’s promises.
- LOVE the WORD – Start small by setting time aside each day for age-appropriate readings of God’s Word. Make this a special part of the day so that your children look forward to that time with you.
- SHARE the FAITH – Share the stories of faithful men and women. These can be biblical, historical, and modern day heroes. Emphasize the faith that allowed them to persevere in difficult circumstances.
- POINT to the PROMISES – Become familiar with the promises found in Scripture. These are for you and your children! Our God is a covenantal God and His many promises are woven into the fabric of His Story and the story of His people.
Tracy LaBreche
