Faith Is Trusting God's Will, No Matter What Happens
If you are familiar with the Bible at all, you may know that the 11th chapter of Hebrews is called “The Hall of Faith.” In there are some of the greatest names of the Bible that everyone in the world has heard of either from Sunday School, church, or the movies - names like Abraham, Moses, Samson, and others. This is a catalogue of people who had great faith in God and trusted Him and His promises completely in everything. This chapter also defines the word “faith.” So if you are wondering exactly what Bible faith means, I suggest you read Hebrews 11:1, 2. Following that is a library of names who have illustrated faith and what they did in particular. In these verses is buried one of the great statements of the Bible that every person on earth should memorize because it tells how a human being relates to the Creator of this universe and the Judge of the world. This is the ONLY way to relate to Him. There is no other. Here it is, “Without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. He that cometh to God MUST BELIEVE THAT HE EXISTS and that He rewards those who DILIGENTLY seek Him.” (verse 6) There it is. When you are ready to get serious with the God who made you and His Son Jesus Christ to whom one day you will give account of the life you have lived, this is the road to take.
This chapter has often been used by people to demonstrate the great things God can do through people who have large faith in Him and will trust Him implicitly. I’ll give you an example of what I am talking about. Sometimes when a person gets cancer, some of the verses referred to above are pressed upon and quoted to the patient and his loved ones by pastors and well-meaning people as the way to be healed and delivered from cancer and many other problems. A cancer patient, they say, has been presented with the wonderful opportunity to prove that faith in God overcomes everything. The truth of these verses is presented in such a way that one is made to believe that if he prays, asks God to heal him, and believes this absolutely, healing is a sure thing. They say that not only does Hebrews 11 teach this, but there is a long list of people in the chapter who have proven these words to be true by their extraordinary faith and trust in God to do the unimaginable. But we all know that often it just does not work out that way. Many a person and his family have prayed to God with all their hearts for healing from cancer - and even BELIEVED that God would answer their prayers - and healing did not come. As the disease has progressed until the ultimate eventuality arrived, the person who has had to suffer thinks, or has been told, that he has not had enough faith. When he dies, many feel that the loved one, and they too, did not have enough faith. Or, they are convinced that they DID have faith, and GOD DID NOT ANSWER THEM according to their faith. I have met many bitter and cynical people who feel this way because of a similar experience.
Most people who recommend Hebrews 11 as a tool for healing didn’t read far enough into the chapter. If you read verses 1-35, the list of people with tremendous faith and the results to prove it climaxes in a mighty crescendo right up to the middle of verse 35. But somehow they missed the next two words that sit there - just as big as you please - and become the dividing line in the entire chapter, “…but others…” Oh. There were these wonderful people of faith that believed God and incredible things happened. BUT then there were “others.” Now note this well. The names of these “others” that follow are not given. Though no names are listed, from what we know these are some of the biggest heroes in the Bible. They ALSO believed and prayed and trusted God just as much as those before the word “others.” But EVEN THOUGH THEY TRUSTED AND PRAYED AND BELIEVED GOD as much as the first group, it didn’t come out in the end with the same tremendous, miraculous results like they wanted and like the first group experienced. In this second group, you read about those who were tortured, flogged, imprisoned, stoned, sawed in half, killed with swords, were mistreated, were homeless, and who DIED. Both groups had the same faith in God. Both groups prayed. Both groups believed in God’s power and knew He could answer their prayers. That is why all of them here are in the Hall of Faith. The fact that no names are there suggests that MOST people experience this side of things. Why is this? The answer is simple. Faith does not ALWAYS result in prayers answered according to the request. GOD’S WILL is always the final determinant. The point here is that when you trust God and believe, you trust Him for everything and anything He wills - no matter what the results will be, no matter what plan He has for your life. Many people think that if you have remarkable faith, that is almost the same thing as believing in magic or owning a Carte Blanche Credit Card or having a personal guarantee from God that whatever you pray for and believe in you will get. It isn’t. Trust in the Lord and believing Him no matter what He says or what He does is what got them - and it will get you - in the Hall of Faith. And...IT WILL PLEASE GOD.
This chapter has often been used by people to demonstrate the great things God can do through people who have large faith in Him and will trust Him implicitly. I’ll give you an example of what I am talking about. Sometimes when a person gets cancer, some of the verses referred to above are pressed upon and quoted to the patient and his loved ones by pastors and well-meaning people as the way to be healed and delivered from cancer and many other problems. A cancer patient, they say, has been presented with the wonderful opportunity to prove that faith in God overcomes everything. The truth of these verses is presented in such a way that one is made to believe that if he prays, asks God to heal him, and believes this absolutely, healing is a sure thing. They say that not only does Hebrews 11 teach this, but there is a long list of people in the chapter who have proven these words to be true by their extraordinary faith and trust in God to do the unimaginable. But we all know that often it just does not work out that way. Many a person and his family have prayed to God with all their hearts for healing from cancer - and even BELIEVED that God would answer their prayers - and healing did not come. As the disease has progressed until the ultimate eventuality arrived, the person who has had to suffer thinks, or has been told, that he has not had enough faith. When he dies, many feel that the loved one, and they too, did not have enough faith. Or, they are convinced that they DID have faith, and GOD DID NOT ANSWER THEM according to their faith. I have met many bitter and cynical people who feel this way because of a similar experience.
Most people who recommend Hebrews 11 as a tool for healing didn’t read far enough into the chapter. If you read verses 1-35, the list of people with tremendous faith and the results to prove it climaxes in a mighty crescendo right up to the middle of verse 35. But somehow they missed the next two words that sit there - just as big as you please - and become the dividing line in the entire chapter, “…but others…” Oh. There were these wonderful people of faith that believed God and incredible things happened. BUT then there were “others.” Now note this well. The names of these “others” that follow are not given. Though no names are listed, from what we know these are some of the biggest heroes in the Bible. They ALSO believed and prayed and trusted God just as much as those before the word “others.” But EVEN THOUGH THEY TRUSTED AND PRAYED AND BELIEVED GOD as much as the first group, it didn’t come out in the end with the same tremendous, miraculous results like they wanted and like the first group experienced. In this second group, you read about those who were tortured, flogged, imprisoned, stoned, sawed in half, killed with swords, were mistreated, were homeless, and who DIED. Both groups had the same faith in God. Both groups prayed. Both groups believed in God’s power and knew He could answer their prayers. That is why all of them here are in the Hall of Faith. The fact that no names are there suggests that MOST people experience this side of things. Why is this? The answer is simple. Faith does not ALWAYS result in prayers answered according to the request. GOD’S WILL is always the final determinant. The point here is that when you trust God and believe, you trust Him for everything and anything He wills - no matter what the results will be, no matter what plan He has for your life. Many people think that if you have remarkable faith, that is almost the same thing as believing in magic or owning a Carte Blanche Credit Card or having a personal guarantee from God that whatever you pray for and believe in you will get. It isn’t. Trust in the Lord and believing Him no matter what He says or what He does is what got them - and it will get you - in the Hall of Faith. And...IT WILL PLEASE GOD.