“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1
“A little faith will bring your soul to heaven; a great faith will bring heaven to your soul.” Charles H. Spurgeon
- Take a moment before you start this devotion and worship God by singing your favorite worship song. Let this help you set your mind on Him and how He cares for you.
- Read through Hebrews 11 and ask God to speak to your heart through this chapter in Hebrews.
Your Personal Faith Story
Dear one, in these uncertain, unprecedented, and tumultuous times, what are you believing for? How is your personal faith story going to be written? Recently, the Lord brought to my mind the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. As I read through each and every one of these precious stories, I was so inspired by these heroes. These were people who were commended by God! These were people who had to wait, who were called to do the difficult thing, even the impossible thing; these were people who suffered persecution and death for the sake of God and for His promises. And do you know what their reward was? God commended their faith! These are our forefathers (and mothers) of our faith. What an amazing and awe-inspiring legacy we have!
A year and a half ago, my husband was unexpectedly diagnosed with a rare brain tumor on his brainstem. If you are not familiar with brain anatomy, the brainstem is the most valuable real estate in the brain—the most difficult to get to, the most sensitive, and it controls the most important human functions. What has followed has been a harrowing medical journey into things we never wanted to or thought we would ever have to know or experience. It has been an incredibly challenging time; throughout it all, and even now, God is our only hope. We are still waiting for our miracle. But this I will tell you: although it has been the worst time of our lives, it has also, in so many ways, been the best. You see, when you are reduced to a place of complete and utter dependence on God, you WILL seek Him with all of your heart, and when you do that, just as He promises in Jeremiah 29:13, you WILL find Him. And that, my friend, is the best reward. We have a God who “is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). He is so, so good.
A consistent theme for me throughout the past 17 months is this: God wants us to walk by faith and not by sight—to take hold of Him and His promises and to walk by that faith, regardless of circumstances. I can see that our story will be written much like these beautiful verses in Hebrews 11: “By faith, Linda and Mike…”
Blessings and Love,
Linda Steppenbacker and the Help Club for Moms Team
Questions to Ponder
- Was there an Old Testament story in Hebrews 11 that stood out to you? What is God teaching you through this story?
- Do you wait on the Lord when difficulties arise? Ask God to show you how long to wait and allow God to comfort you and bring you close to His side during this time of struggle.
Faith-Filled Ideas
Take time to ponder and write out what your story will say. “By faith, (insert your name and story)…” Sit with the Holy Spirit and ask Him, regarding your present situation or even your entire faith journey, “What will my story say?” Whatever the Holy Spirit tells you, I pray that it will be a blessing and delight to your soul and that you will “hold unswervingly to the hope you profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).
Take time to write out, either on paper or on actual rocks, the dates that God brought you through some difficult circumstances. Use this as a reminder to tell your children the faithfulness of God in your life, just like when the Israelites passed through the Jordan River and took 12 stones out of the river to tell their children how God had been faithful to dry up the Jordan river so they could pass through. The stones were a memorial for the nation of Israel (Joshua 4).
This writing comes from our book “The Wise Woman Knows.” You can find it HERE!
I am passionate about helping women hear from God. This year has been an incredibly difficult one for our family, but in the fire of this trial, I have felt the love of God so much more intensely and personally than ever before. I have also found the beauty of seeking God's heart in a much deeper way. I want to know His heartbeat, see what He sees, hear what He hears, say what He says, do what He does, and make His perfect love known.
Come along with me on the adventure of a lifetime!
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