Have Faith

We must see situations for what they are-a test of our faith. When bad times come or a crisis arise, or when hard decision have to be made and you feel like your back is against the proverbial wall, that is when your faith is tested and grown. It is at these critical times that we build faith, stamina, and character when we endure. But, if we give up, then our faith is and was small. Therefore, we must see things for what they truly are: a test and a challenge to grow our faith in God and Christ.
Matt. 14:13-21, is an example of this dilemma we faced as the followers of Christ. The scripture tells of the event surrounding the miracle preformed by Christ in feeding over five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fishes.
 In a dessert place Christ was ministering to the people, preaching and healing into the evening. With no food available in the place for the people, the twelve approached him and requested to send the people away that they may find food and be refreshed. But, Christ desiring to use the situation to instruct both them and the people regarding God's ability to provide for our needs even when it seems impossible, decided not to send the people away( John 6:5,6). Instead, He instructed the disciples to bring the food on hand to him and go and organize the people to receive the food he was about to bless. He then prayed to God over the food and gives it to his disciples to distribute among the people present. The food was miraculously multiplied to meet the needs of the people by the faith of Christ and his love for the people- God honored His pray and confirmed Him as His Messiah before them all that day. The scripture concluded stating, " And they did all eat and were filled . . ." Thus, strengthening their faith in God and Him.
God will test our faith in desperate situations like these to see if we will trust in Him. For he seeks those that are worthy to be called His children and the planting of His hands. If we doubt and give up in the struggles then, says the scripture, we were never His from the start( Heb. 10:38-39, 1 John 2:19). There are many people who claim to be believer in Christ, but when crisis and challenges come they deny Him or fall away. This is sad and a testament to the fact that their faith was not strong. But, we who endure the pain, the struggle, and the uncertainty of this life keep striving and holding on to our faith in Christ. Because we know from the scriptures and from the lives of generations of faithful men and women that in the midst of the storms of life God is able to comfort us and provide for all our needs no matter what the situation is( Matt. 6:31-34).

If you're going through hardship( as we all are or will be) remember these scripture and meditate on them to build your faith:
Ps. 34: 17,18,19
God is our deliverer through the power and grace of His Son Christ, our Lord( 2 Cor. 12:9,10, Phil. 4:12,13).

Shalam,
Zarach