The Sunday Mail
Dr Justice Marwisa —
A couple of weeks ago, I came across this statement – “God is the reason why even in pain I smile; in confusion, I understand; in betrayal, I trust; and in fear, I continue to fight.”
As I reflected upon this, I found myself considering Apostle Paul’s life and asking myself what had given him the strength to continue standing despite the many difficulties he was facing. I considered his encouragement to Timothy in 1 Tim. 6v12 which says, “Fight the good fight of the faith…”(NIV).
And at the end of his life, Apostle Paul wrote these fascinating words, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Tim. 4:7-NIV). I realised how important it is to keep the faith in the midst of life’s challenges.
The Apostle Paul is arguably one of the greatest Christians who ever lived, for Christianity is still influenced by him today. Hence it is tempting for Christians to desire the same success and power that were evident in Paul’s life.
However,this was only one side of his story. The Scriptures indicate that the Apostle Paul also went through many difficulties. For example, 2 Cor. 11:23-29 says:
“23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” (NIV).
Yet in spite of all he went through, Apostle Paul said with confidence, “I have kept the faith”. Then he went further by encouraging others to do the same, writing many letters to the churches he had planted.
Surely we can learn something from the apostle. With all that is happening around us, God expects us to keep the faith to the end. There will be many good things to experience and victories to be won during our lives.
But our walk with the Lord will inevitably have a lot of challenges as well. People will oppose or attack us. Our children will fall sick. Our financial situation may become desperate, leading to missed meals or failure to meet certain obligations. We might be let down by those we love, being abandoned by a husband or wife. Our health may fail us. The list could go on and on.
Nevertheless, it is important for children of God to be prepared to face these challenges head on without losing their faith in God. As part of holding on to his faith, the Apostle Paul confesses in 2 Cor. 4:8-9, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (NIV).
God expects us to keep standing in the full assurance of His faithfulness to look after us regardless of what is happening. In Isaiah 43v2 God says, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (NIV).
Note that sometimes, we must pass through the rivers, God will be with us. Elsewhere the Word also says that He who called us is faithful and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we cannot endure. (1Cor. 1v9 and 1 Cor. 10v13). Child of God, you would do well to heed the words of Apostle Paul, to “keep the faith”; be encouraged to hold on to the confession of your faith at this time when it seems we are in another turbulent period. The good news is God is with us as we go through these difficult times.
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