Vital signs-Friday, May 27th, 2022

Hopelessness Can Lead to Faith

Did you know that admitting your hopelessness to God can be a statement of faith? Trusting God but feeling despair at the same time, David wrote, "I believed, so I said, "I am completely ruined!'" (Psalm 116:10 NCV) This sounds like a contradiction: I trust God, but I'm wiped out! David's frankness actually reveals deep faith:

First, he believed in God.

Second, he believed God would listen to his prayer.

Third, he believed God would let him say what he felt and still love him.

Focus on who God is - his unchanging nature. Regardless of circumstances and how you feel, hang on to God's unchanging character. Remind yourself what you know to be eternally true about God: He is good, he loves me, he is with me, he knows what I'm going through, he cares, and he has a good plan for my life. Raymond Edman said, "Never doubt in the dark what God told you in the light." So don't be troubled by trouble. Circumstances cannot change the character of God. God's grace is still in full force; he is still for you, even when you don't feel it.

“I trusted even when I said, “I am very afflicted”—”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭116:10‬ ‭TLV‬‬