Thursday Devotion

The Power of Faith

By Deborah Schoenfelder

“. . . I am with you always. . .”

Matthew 28:20

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

It was a dark and frightening time in my life. How would I make ends meet on my own? How could I possibly raise two young children by myself? I was literally living one day at a time, putting one foot in front of the other. And my family and friends stood by me through it all.

And then there was my faith, shaken but not shattered. When not working or taking care of the kids, I consumed self-help materials, including spiritual books and scripture. When I found passages in books or Bible verses that particularly “spoke” to me, I posted them in places at home and work to glance at whenever I needed a “boost”. On the inside of the armoire in my bedroom, I taped a church bulletin cover and the front of a card sent to me for encouragement with the scripture selections noted above. The reassurance from Matthew 28:20 that I was never alone sustained me. Understanding the essence of faith as declared in Hebrews 11:1, helped me continue doing what I needed to do to take care of my family and myself.

I used to wrestle quite a bit with the idea of faith. I didn’t like what felt to me like uncertainty and unpredictability. But over the years I am becoming (I think!) more patient in not needing or wanting everything in my life to be tangible. In fact I now like that faith is not seen, rather it is the evidence of faith that abounds if I am open to what faith offers me in my everyday life.

The timeless hymn My Faith Looks Up to Thee talks of the bolstering effect of faith. In particular, the third verse declares how faith holds us up when we need it most:

“While life’s dark maze I tread, and griefs around me spread,

be thou my guide; bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow’s tears away,

nor let me every stray from thee aside.”

So when I am particularly anxious or troubled, I once again look to the words of comfort in Matthew 28:20 and Hebrews 11:1 that are powerful and meaningful for me to this day, reminding me of the wonder of faith. Faith, family, and friends: What a winning combination!

Prayer: Lord of life, I am continually grateful to know that I am not alone. When I catch myself starting to feel uncertain and not at peace, I need to take a breath and remind myself of your steadfast guidance and love. I will keep the FAITH! Amen.