CONFIDENCE IN THE UNSEEN
2020, started with lots of hopes that the year will be great and full of prosperity; but by the time we all reached the third month, the glass of hope started cracking little by little. Then came the LOCKDOWN; something that the present generation had never dreamt about.
Everything came to a standstill. At the beginning there was still hope, with the thought that, "perhaps the world will start working again in about a week."
One week passed with families spending time together and having fun with the hope that the lockdown will be lifted soon.
Another week went with aspiration and the desire that, "everything it will be normal sooner than later".
Slowly . . . gradually, the hopes turned into distress and distress into hopelessness.
The whole world was at a standstill with no functioning offices, tourism, food joints or parties. And consequently many institutions were not able to pay their employees. We suffered pay cuts, job losses and families struggling to meet their daily needs.
We had no hopes and lost all confidence.
Now here we are in 2021
We all are hoping to be back to "getting up" from this year on. Everynone is hoping that 2021 will give us new avenues to restart. That this year would be a year where we come out of our distress and struggles.
But
CAN YOU SAY WITH CONFIDENCE THAT IT WILL HAPPEN?
If it's a Yes!
What is that "Thing", that makes you feel that It will surely happen?
Let me put it this way.
HOPE, is what runs everything. It is hope that lets you feel that it will be normal again.
We plan everything for the future with the HOPE that it will happen.
There is another word that comes in line with the word HOPE and that is, FAITH.
The Bible gives a very clear explanation about Faith in Hebrew 11:1.
It says, Now Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
That means,
Faith is basically a booster for our Hopes.
Here, the definition of Faith is very beautiful. Some amazing words are used - Confidence, assurance,
Your Faith will give you confidence that whatever you are hoping, even though it cannot be seen at the moment, will be fulfilled. (Please do not be mislead with this statement, I have just tried to rephrase it)
But some questions that come to my mind are - Faith on What? Does it fulfill everything that I am hoping for?
It is said that we should thank God that He is not answering all our prayers and desires, because if he did; we would have crossed Solomon's Score. (You know what I am talking about)
Faith is the backbone of everything.
The Confidence of Things Hoped For
Hebrews 11 is also called "Heroes of Faith", "The Saint's Hall of Fame"
It is called Hall of Fame because this chapter has names of people who displayed their faith.
These people are from the Old Testament. The reason being, in the OT God had given them lots of promises and all these Hereos held on to those promises. One of the greatest promise by God was regarding The Messiah who will come and save them from all the oppressions and struggles. And all of them were hoping that this promise will be fulfilled. They didnt see it coming but they had Faith.
Faith is not that "Well...I dont know if it will happen or not", but rather it is the CONFIDENCE that it will happen.
But the question remains the same - Confidence on What?
I can have confidence in my Talents
I can have confidence in my Wealth
I can have confidence in my Power
But out of all these nothing is permanent. My talent can fade away, My money will disappear, My power will be given to someone else.
But,you know what? Confidence comes from a Greek word Hupostasis and the interesting thing is that this word is used twice in the bible - The first time it is used to represent Jesus Christ and second time in this context (Hebrews 11:1).
That means in Jesus I have the confidence of things unseen.
My Dreams will be fulfilled when I am with Jesus
Jesus is the only one who never changes. (Jesus is the same yesterday and today and forever - Heb 13:8).
Assurance of the Things Unseen
Faith is confidence on things hoped for and assurance of things unseen.
The best example that comes to my mind is of NOAH. God commanded Noah to build an ark. An ark so big that it made Noah the laughing stock in his community. Noah with confidence hoped that what God said will be fulfilled. But according to the circumstances around him, it appeared extremely unlikely and absolutely impossible.
It is our responsibility to have Confidence, assurance comes from God.
Disclaimer - God does give assurance about fulfilling our hopes but it is not necessary that it will be fulfilled on our own terms, rather it depends on God.
In Noah's case, Noah had confidence that if God said, then it will happen. But assurance that it will happen is what God gives.
The medium to know His assurance is His Word.
Jesus Christ gave us assurance of the promises given by God through dying on the cross for you and me. The Heroes of Faith hoped for this light (Jesus Christ), which was unseen at that time, but because of their confidence on the Promise giver they hung on to it.
Where are You?
We need to have Confidence in Jesus
Jesus has already given us assurance.
What are the things you are hoping for? On what, is your confidence?
Jesus' death on the cross gives you and me an assurance that there is hope for things going back to normal.
The one who defeates death is able enough to fulfill your prayers but according to what he thinks is best for you. (Jeremiah 29:11).
It is not over Yet!
If you are hoping that your life gets back to normal or may be you are going through something big which only you know of.
I just want to assure you that it is not over Yet!
Have faith on the One Who is permanent and faithful. And that is only Jesus Christ. In Him your hopes will be fulfilled.
In him should be our Confidence to fulfill the Unseen
"For we live by Faith and not by Sight"
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