Seasons

I recently read something written by Beth Moore that said "God places a huge premium on living, breathing faith.  In fact, the more you search the Scriptures, the more you discover that nothing is more important to God than our faith.  But God is not the only one who puts a high priority on this issue of our faith.  Satan also has no greater focus in a single one of our lives.  Though he is no match for God, he is powerful and dangerous foe of believing man and woman.  They both know faith works, we need to know it too."

What is faith?  According to dictionary.com it is confidence or trust in a person or thing.  How much do we trust God?  In our relationships, with our children, with our finances, with our health?  It's much easier to sit in a room full of believers praising and worshiping and saying how much faith we have than to put it into action during times of trial.

Last night I was thinking about how often we view our circumstances as measure of our favor with God.  If my life is going well and is relatively pain free it is easy for me and others to say God is good, He is providing and caring for us.  But when chaos strikes we start to question His presence or His goodness.  I think we would all agree that Jesus was in favor with God.  But stop and consider the account of His baptism.  In Matthew 3 we are told that Jesus goes to John the Baptist to be baptized and at the moment He came up out of the water heaven was opened and He saw the Spirit of the God descending like a dove and settling on Him while a voice from heaven said "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased."

Do you know what happens immediately after that?  Jesus is lead by the Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  Scripture tells us that Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and nights and the first thing Satan says if you are really the Son of God turn these stones to bread.  I would imagine that the thought of bread after 40 days of nothing was really tempting to Jesus.  I can hear Satan now...Is this how God treats those He loves and is well pleased with, He sends them into the wilderness with no food...shouldn't He be throwing you a banquet beloved Son?  Well Satan goes on and tempts Jesus further finally offering Him a way to escape the cross if He just bowed down for a moment to Satan.  Jesus was hungry, tired and the idea of the cross had to be frighting.  But He is faithful and true to His calling.  His faith says that despite the current circumstance greater things are coming.

Has that ever happened in your life?  You faithfully serve God and then the notice comes that your job has been eliminated, your child has terminal cancer, your spouse doesn't love you anymore, your friends abandoned you?  Faith is much harder to live out in those situations than when we are coming up out of the baptismal waters.  When we are coming out of a great season of walking close with God, Satan knows that it is time to attack and plant those seeds of doubt.  Is this really what God does to those He loves?  Does He allow them to go into the wilderness of cancer or financial crisis or loneliness?  He will refine you in the wilderness if you allow Him to. 

Next time you find yourself in a wilderness remember that God hasn't moved, He is right where He has always been.  It's one thing to know He is God, it is another to live like He is God.  Where have you placed your faith?