It Ain't Over Till It's Over

It's easy to believe when it's easy to believe.

No, that's not another Yogi Berra quote. I came up with that one. Feel free to use it yourself.

Here is what I mean.

When things are going well for you...
When you love your high paying job...
When your kids grow up to be wonderful people...
When you have no health problems...
When you find $50 in an old wallet...
When a friend tells you that you have made a difference in his/her life...
When you find out you have made a difference in a stranger's life...
When all is right in your world, then it's easy to believe.

When you see God's hand all around you, then it's easy to believe.

What happens when things aren't going well for you?
What happens when your job isn't what you thought it would be?
What happens when your kids choose the wrong path?
What happens when you lose your health?
What happens when you face financial problems?
What happens when friends forsake you?
What happens when strangers attack you?
What happens when all is not right in your world?

When you don't see God's hand anywhere around you? Do you still believe?

It is easy to believe when you see God and His work. It is difficult to believe when you don't see God. It has been said that "seeing is believing", but I don't think that is really true. Believing is seeing. Faith is the "assurance of what we do not see" (Heb. 11:1). Faith is believing even when our eyes don't see. Faith is believing when our feelings tell us otherwise.

In the latest part of our journey, it has not been easy to believe. There have been more times when God has been more difficult to see. It's not that He is hiding from us. It's not that we aren't looking for Him. It's just one of those times when our circumstances rise up and try to block God out. We haven't lost faith. We still believe. Our faith is getting stronger. We know that God is with us even when it takes a little more work to see Him.

A friend posted on Facebook today: "Don't try to please God with your feelings, but with faith. Without faith it is impossible to please God."

I have read that verse, Heb. 11:6, many times, but I had never thought about it that way. Our feelings come and go. I'm not sure that my feelings over the past few days have pleased God. I hope that my faith has. I hope that our faith has been evident in the most recent blogs. Our faith is in the One who always remains faithful, trustworthy, and true. It ain't over.