Sometimes I like to think back when God showed Himself to me in some way. Those experiences help to boost my faith in Him. I can say, “See, God is real! He worked in my life and showed His power to me.” I hope you don’t do this. I have come to realize that basing my faith on my experiences is a very poor foundation for faith.
Johnny Christian enjoyed going to church. He would raise his hands as he sang praises to God. When the preacher was giving his sermon, Johnny would give out a loud, “AMEN!” or “Yes Lord. That’s true.” Johnny could feel the lord’s presence and it excited him. He was one of the most outspoken men in the Church.
One day Johnny Christian lost a loved one. He became depressed and his sorrow seemed to have no end. He was confused that God should take someone he loved so from him. That Sunday he went to church and sat in his pew. Everyone was singing praises but he felt no song in his heart. They raised their hands but Johnny just hung his head. He barely heard the sermon and when he left the sanctuary he never came back.
Johnny didn’t feel the lord’s presence so either the lord didn’t really exist or, if He did, God had rejected Johnny. Johnny was not experiencing God in his life, but instead experienced only pain in his heart. God was dead to him.
If we base our faith on what we experience, then when we do not experience God in our lives we will lose faith. God might show Himself to you and heal you from a mortal illness but the next time your sick and God does not heal, will you reject God saying, “He didn’t hear you so He must not love you anymore” or perhaps that “He does not really exist.”?
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17
The only true and solid foundation for your faith is in God’s Word. We can trust what God says to us. We can base all we believe on the fact that the Scriptures will not fail us. When you hear what God says to you in His word, you can know that God will stay true to it and fulfill His word. Experiences can fail you, but God’s word is eternally faithful.
Photo Credit: untitled by le vent le cri
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