It’s reassuring to hear someone say he or she has faith in you. We’ve all heard stories of people who have accomplished much share who those people were in their lives—who said, with words and actions, “I believe in you. I have faith you can do this.”
Each of us have our own stories and people.
It’s difficult and potentially devastating when someone’s faith in you is withdrawn.
God experiences that pain, too. People follow him, declare faith in him, then reject him—or begin to coast in their faith instead of pursuing him.
I know it doesn’t affect him the same way it affects us. But I wonder if it hurts even worse to him than when someone rejects us. In some situations, because he understands the details, he might have peace about it, but the deep pain he must feel sometimes for the same reason—understanding the details. The fact he experiences and understands betrayal, rejection, and indifference saddens me but also strengthens me.
He gets it. He lives it. And he helps each of us live through it—even grow because of it.
Place your faith where it matters. Value faith that can be trusted. Persevere into faith with patience, humility, and authenticity.
You know, when I stop and really think about the pain God endured when Jesus died…and the pain Jesus experiences in that death, with the ultimate pain being separated from God…it is overwhelming.
It is, indeed. In fact, I don’t even think I can feel the full brunt of it, but what I feel at times is so much.