The first verse in Hebrews 11 defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Faith is believing what we hope for. It is something that cannot be seen or even completely understood. If we could understand everything about it, it wouldn’t be faith. It would be knowledge.
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is” (verse 6, italics mine).
A steadfast faith, a great depth of belief in God, is why the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 could endure their individual fiery trials. And by faith they lived their lives, and they “died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them” (verse 13).
Faith has to be a way of life, and a way of living that life. Because we’re not going to understand everything that happens—or why—there are many things we must take on simple faith. Not because we have any answers to that age-old question, “Why?” but because we have faith that God does.
Each of the people mentioned in Hebrews 11 proved their faith. They had to live it. They had to believe God meant what he said, even when they didn’t know why he said it. They needed to believe God knew what he was doing, and because they had faith in him, they didn’t have to understand it.
Nor are they the only ones. I believe that God still tests each one of us today to see whether we’ll stay faithful to him. To see if we will trust even when we can’t see the reason or understand his methods.
This is what James Dobson says about faith: “Apparently, most believers are permitted to go through emotional and spiritual valleys that are designed to test their faith in the crucible of fire. Why? Because faith ranks at the top of God’s system of priorities. Without it, He said, it is impossible to please Him.”15
So it seems to me that faith is a choice. We can believe God is and is what he says, and can keep on believing that when nothing else makes sense.
Then, through faith, we can also look for “a city . . . whose builder and maker is God” (verse 10).
It will take faith to get there, plus a lot of determination to hold on to that faith. But in that city we will need faith no longer.
Because at last we’ll be able to see clearly and know why. We’ll have that knowledge, and we’ll understand.
| Prayer | Reflection |
| Lord, please don’t let me fail the test of faith. Make me strong enough to believe you know the reason for everything that happens. | How can I strengthen my faith today? |