The Faith Seriesਨਮੂਨਾ

Day 3: A Faith That Trains

We all have mindsets—ways of viewing God and reality—that serve as both our strengths and our weaknesses. There are also many preconceived notions surrounding the subject of faith. Many of us have been taught that the primary function of faith is for God to deliver us from trials and fix our problems. That’s not wrong, but it’s only part of the story. Yes, God can deliver, but sometimes He does not. He isn’t in the business of rescuing us from the very challenges He allows in order to mature us.

Faith, in its fullness, is not just believing that God will deliver me from the hard things of life, but that He will use them to train and transform me for His glory. Because most of us have been taught a version of faith focused almost exclusively on rescue, we tend to fixate on Scriptures about deliverance or escape. We look to the Word to reinforce our predetermined agendas because the mind justifies what the heart has chosen.

Through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we can begin to pray differently: “God, train me in this situation. Don’t fight my battle for me—keep me here and teach me how to rule in the presence of my enemies” (Psalm 110). We are exhorted in 1 Timothy 4 to be nourished on the truths of the faith, persevering in the pursuit of godliness. We are called to ongoing training and obedience since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. God gives us faith so the Holy Spirit can dwell in us and bring us to what might be called the “commitment zone”—a place where we continue to mature and grow, and our new nature in Christ is revealed.

So, when trials come, don’t just ask God to take them away—ask Him to train you through them!