Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
This morning I saw this text in a new way. The words "confidence in what we hope for" popped out at me.
Confidence in what we hope for....does that mean confidence that the surgery will go well, that sick loved ones will recover; that the job will come through; that the car will keep running until there is enough money to fix it? If confidence means full trust and belief, does it mean we can fully trust that everything is going to be OK? And by saying "everything is going to be OK" does it mean that it will turn out like we want or the way God knows is best?
What about the second half of the text "and assurance about what we do not see?" Assurance is having conviction. Is what we do not see is what's going on in the background? Is what we do not see really what God is doing on our behalf that we are completely oblivious to?
Could all this be simplified to say "Faith is full trust and belief that the surgery will go well, that the sick loved one will recover, that the job will come through, that Jesus is who he says he is and God will do what he promises with a conviction that we do not see everything going on in the background?
How about even simpler? "Faith is full trust and belief that no matter what is going on in our life Jesus is who he said we was and God will do what he promises. You can be assured that even if it doesn't look like it now God is working in the background on your behalf."
Having faith doesn't mean all will be rosy but it does mean that God is in it....no matter how it turns out.