Almost thirty years ago a dam broke near Toccoa Falls College in Georgia, and many died from the raging flood. David Ely, a survivor of the disaster, commented to his colleague, Richard Fowler, “God does not reveal His love to us through circumstances alone…He reveals His love through His finished work at Calvary” (Richard A Fowler, Winning by Losing [Chicago: Moody Press, 1986], 104. Months after the flood a research team came to the college to study the stress level of survivors, and found that it was lower than anticipated. They attributed this fact to the strong faith in God exhibited by all who lived through that night (ibid, 105).

Perhaps you haven’t faced a flood that literally swept you away, but you have probably experienced something that has drowned your hope. How do you discover assurance that God is in control of all circumstances? There is even a harder question. How do you wait for God’s promise knowing that it might not be realized within your lifetime? I’m sure many of those who died in the flood were waiting hopefully for a promise that had not yet come true.

This kind of spiritual assurance comes when you live totally by faith. Is it possible to get to this higher plane where trials of life lie far beneath your feet? Yes it is. The Word would not have said that perfect peace can be found when we focus completely upon the strength of His character (Isaiah 26:3), and not upon our weakness, if it was not true. Living by faith means that we understand that waiting patiently on God is our best choice, because He has chosen the “what, when, where, and how”.

The minor prophet, Habakkuk, offers an example of human understanding which learns to wait for the spiritual. Habakkuk was highly frustrated with the Lord for not punishing sinners in a way he thought was best. He brought his complaints to God, and then stood still and waited for the Lord’s answer (Habakkuk 2:1).

The Lord’s answer to Habakkuk is timeless, and reveals the patience of a faithful Savior who speaks to the impatient heart of his complaining child. “Habakkuk,” the Lord explained, “I have heard your complaint. What I tell you now can be carved in stone, and heralded as truth. I will move when I know the time is right. It might appear to take forever, but it is for my appointed time, and it will not fail. Though my promise lingers, have faith that it will come and will not delay. You, as my righteous child, are to live by faith no matter what happens.”

The writer to the Hebrews spurs us on to greater faith in the Lord. “Don’t throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith” (Hebrews 10:35-38a).

"Live by faith and wait upon the Lord!” we read in both Habakkuk and Hebrews. Living by faith and focusing on the Lord’s strength and not upon what He may have promised teaches us to persevere against all odds. However, when we are consumed with what God has promised instead of being consumed with God we lose the ability to persevere.

Faith which is born from a promise will absolutely fail. When faith is born from our love of God, it will prosper. What is important is discovering His will for our lives because of our love for Him, and not what we shall receive. There is also a danger in focusing upon the way in which we think God will provide our promise. We might miss the “what, when, where and how” God supplies the need.

God tells us in His Word that we are not to shrink from the hard times of life. We are to face them head-on with faith (Hebrews 10:38b-39). When we faithfully seek God in the storm, He rewards up with greater faith to believe in His unchanging character (Hebrews 11:6, Hebrews 13:8). Our time of waiting upon the Lord then becomes our greatest time of spiritual fulfillment.

“Even though I can’t see your provision, Lord, I will be joyful in you,” Habakkuk decided, “for you have lifted me far above my concerns, and made me sure-footed as the deer. I will not slip in faith, Lord. I choose to believe because you are my strength” (Habakkuk 3:17-19).

David Ely spoke of the Lord’s love revealed through His finished work at Calvary. If you could ask the great heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, what kept them on course, what might you hear? No matter what the circumstances of life, God is faithful to perform that which He has promised even if not within our lifetime. Perhaps one day we will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You waited well.” Are we faithful to push expectantly ahead..believing and trusting in His chosen time?

Lynn Lacher

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