“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
Several years ago, my husband and I went through a difficult season. My husband had just lost his job; it was unforeseen and was a challenging time in our family life and in our relationship with God. Although we put our trust in Him, we definitely lived moments where our hope seemed weak and our faith, small.
Mark 2 shares a unique story of faith. Large numbers of people were gathered together after hearing that Jesus had come home. There were so many people crowded around Jesus that there was no room left in the house, including outside the door of the place! But that didn’t stop four friends of a paralyzed man from having their friend see Jesus. Since they couldn’t get to Jesus through the front door, they made a hole in the roof and lowered the man into the house so he could be healed.
Faith sometimes looks radical.
The paralyzed man had four friends full of faith, willing to risk looking like fools. Yet, “when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven’” (Mark 2:5).
We don’t know how long this man had been paralyzed. We know nothing about his own personal struggle for faith in God’s goodness and healing for himself. But what we do know is that he had people who loved him and came alongside him who were full of assurance in who God is and what God intended.
Sometimes, we need others to stand strong in faith with us. When my husband lost his job, others cam alongside us in faith, full of hope in an awesome God, and trusted that He would end up making something beautiful out of a difficult situation. And He did — God provided my husband with a better job than what we could have ever asked for!
Heavenly Father, I thank You so much that I can trust You and put my hope in You. You are a good God, always compassionate and loving to Your people. Help me grow in my faith in You. Mold me and make me into the person You want me to be. Amen.
By Brigitte Straub
Used by Permission
Further Reading
• Articles on Struggles & Despair
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