I wanted to share anew this post with you all that I originally wrote and published in May 22, 2017.
A couple of weeks ago I found myself quoting the English expression, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Then I paused and thought, “But what if someone isn’t one of the tough, then what?”
If we’re not one of the tough, does that mean we’ll just get left behind? Do we have to be tough to make it?
Interestingly enough, there are a lot of very impressive Christian figures who did incredible things within impossible circumstances. We might be tempted to list them as some of those people who when the going got tough they were the tough that got going, but actually that’s not what the Bible says about them in Hebrews. Rather, it says something quite the opposite.
“And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. ~Hebrews 11:32-34~
If they were weak then how were they made strong?
“And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” ~2 Corinthians 12:9-10~
We don’t have to be tough to make it through the tough times. Rather we need to look to Him who is our strength to be strength on our behalf.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” ~Philippians 4:13~
Challenge: Don’t give up because you’re not tough. Rather, have faith in He who is!
When the rocks speak 
The anatomy of our faith. It is rooted in our lacking, our inability, need, and the conscious choice to be dependent on God.
Isn’t that also the nature of the word faith? To rely on, even without immediate guarantee of the anticipated outcome proving itself in the ‘here and now’.
Rather, faith says…. it WILL happen.
I have been challenged recently with the concept that Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael presented in the book of Daniel.
Paraphrasing, they said “Our God is able to deliver us, and our God will save, BUT even IF…..”
Faith.
Confidence that God is capable, willing, and ready to intervene on their behalf. Yet, recognizing that He is the One who has the right to their lives, and willingly surrendering their own desires in a beautiful forshadowing of Elohim and His walk through sacrifice, death, and finishing the work of our redemption from sin.
So true. What a good reminder that He is the One who has the right to our lives and that His responses may be different than what we expect but our faith is trusting in Who He is.