Steadfast Faith: Enduring Trials with Hope

What Does It Mean to Be Steadfast?

Sometimes in animals we see the traits that we long to see in humans. There is a true tale of a Japanese Akita dog named, Hachiko who would wait everyday at a train station for his owner to return from work. When his owner died suddenly at work and never returned to the station, Hachiko faithfully waited for him - for ten years, until his own death. We call this being steadfast. When a person, or even a dog, is loyal, faithful and true under all conditions they are steadfast.

“If a dog can be faithful to a man, how much more should we be faithful to God?”

Steadfast Faith and the Hope of Resurrection

As humans, we are expected to have steadfast faith in our relationship to God. Regardless of our feelings, trials, persecutions, or simply the day to day busyness of life we are to be set on a firm foundation that never wavers in regard to our faith. Paul says this,

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:58

Notice that this verse begins with the word "therefore". This means we should look at what comes before this verse. The Corinthians were being influenced by outsiders to doubt the reality of the resurrection. Paul spends most of chapter 15 defending the truth of Christ's resurrection and the promise of believer's resurrection. Because we have this hope of resurrection it should motivate us, he says, to be "steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."

“Steadfast faith isn’t built in ease but proven in trial.”

Lessons from Corinth: Holding Fast to Truth

The church at Corinth tended to compromise with the culture they lived in (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 15:33). They were being swayed by false teachers. So Paul's "therefore" was to implore them to hold fast to what they knew was truth. The resurrection was one of those truths. The gifts they were given by God were to be used for others and these gifts would have eternal consequences. Their labor, the faith they shared with others, the love they showed, the generosity they gave would outlive their earthly lives.

The things they do for God are never done in vain, unlike the many ways we spend our lives every day. Things of the Spirit would live on, just as they would in their resurrected bodies. In James, we see how steadfastness can be produced.

In James 1:3-4 he explains that trials produce patience, sometimes this is also translated as endurance or steadfastness. When a Christian undergoes trials and does not forsake God, they can look back on them and realize that by going through them they have actually seen their faith grow. What trial has tested your steadfastness?

We may not know why the trials happened, but we know there is a reward for enduring, for staying steadfast in them (Hebrews 10:36). We can endure because we know God's love is everlasting.

“Endurance today brings eternal reward tomorrow.”

God’s Steadfast Love as Our Example

Many of us today have never seen a steadfast relationship first hand. Maybe we have come from a broken home, maybe we have a broken home ourselves. It seems more difficult today for people to have a loyal and abiding relationship with one another. Perhaps this is why we have a hard time being steadfast with God. But God is faithful even when we are not. His love is described as steadfast.

Lamentations 3:22 teaches that God's steadfast love never ceases - it is eternal. It says that God's mercies are never ending. God wants our faith to be as steadfast as His love for us is. He wants children who never doubt who their Father is or that their Father loves them. He wants children who want to obey their Father, not out of fear, but out of love. And He wants our faith to be immovable, no matter what is happening to us or around us.

“God’s steadfast love never fails—He calls us to mirror it.”

Practicing Steadfastness Every Day

Many tragedies can shake our faith: a loved one's suicide, the death of a child, or the suffering of an elderly parent, for example. But how do we remain steadfast in the face of circumstances like these?

• We need to be steadfast in our thanks to God. In the midst of great sorrow, we can always find something to be thankful for and we need to focus on that.

• We need to be steadfast in our praise and worship of God. We praise Him for who He is and who His Son is. We praise Him for his creation. We praise Him for our salvation.

• We need to be steadfast in our study of Scripture. When God's word is planted firmly in our hearts we can find the answers to the doubts and fear that the devil wants us to focus on.

• We need to be steadfast in our prayer lives. Often in the midst of tragedy the thing we need to do the most is the thing we do the least. We can be so busy just dealing with life we forget that communicating with our Father is required.

  
  

What will the outcome be of a person who is steadfast? They will do good because that is our purpose on this earth (Ephesians 2:10).

Galatians 6:9 reminds us, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart." What is it that we shall reap? Everlasting life! But why should doing good make you weary? Because at times when so many need help it may seem like just helping one person or a few accomplishes very little. It can be discouraging. You may not be given many thanks for the good you do. It may cost you time or money. But not losing heart is another way of saying to remain steadfast.

Encouragement from Jeremiah and Paul

Probably one of the greatest Old Testament examples of someone who was steadfast and immovable in their work for God was Jeremiah. Jeremiah was called by God to prophesy the impending judgment of His people if they did not heed Jeremiah's warnings. Sadly, because of their idolatry and sin, not only did they not listen to Jeremiah but they actually persecuted him and rebelled against what they were told to do. If anyone should have felt justified in feeling weary it should have been Jeremiah, but he did not. Jeremiah did not lose heart.

In the New Testament, we always look to Paul as one who remained steadfast and immovable. In spite of beatings and mistreatment of all kinds he was immovable in his faith and love for Jesus. Perhaps this is why Paul spends so much time talking about the importance of exhortation or encouragement. When we have gone through trials and tribulations look to the word and your fellow Christians for positive stories of staying faithful to God. Always encourage each other. But what do we do when we aren't steadfast?

When Our Faith Wavers

Many of us focus too much on times when we were tempted not to be steadfast. We focus more on our sins than the One who forgives us of them. We focus too much on self and not enough on the anchor of our soul - Jesus. When our focus is on failure, it can make us even more timid and fearful to try to do the work God would have us do. Remember He often uses the broken ones of us, who are truly humble, to restore and help others know Him.

“Faith may waver, but God’s anchor holds.”

Sometimes it's not the big things that keep us from being fixed on Jesus, sometimes it's the little ones. Prayers that go unanswered, promotions we don't get, a house we can't afford to buy, the new car we want but can't afford, the spouse we have waited so long for that seems to never come, these are examples of situations that cause us to waver. Does God really love us? Does God really care for me? Then slowly we drift away from Him until our faith is something we only see in hindsight. The danger of spiritual drift is real.

Standing Firm Against Doubt and Deception

Many of us like the Corinthians have our faith shaken by things we hear people teach or preach that are in error.

• We may listen to atheists debating Christians on YouTube and claim there's no evidence for Jesus' resurrection. This may cause us to disbelieve what we know is true.

• We may hear a popular preacher tell us that certain sexual sins are ok as long as people love each other.

• We may start believing that Jesus will come back on a certain date not long in the future, when we know the Word says "no man knows the day or the hour."

This is why knowing your Bible is so very important. The Holy Spirit will bring Scriptures back to your mind to teach you, but you have a duty to read and study (John 14:26). Scripture acts as our lighthouse in a storm. And always prayer and fellowship with other believers help calm doubts. What scripture has helped you the most when confronting doubt?

A Call to Remain Faithful

If a dog can faithfully wait ten years for a master he loved who never returned, surely you and I can remain faithful to the God who drew us out of sin and darkness. Surely we can be true to the one who will resurrect us from the dead because of His mercy and grace. We can run with endurance. Our Jesus is faithful and true. Let us, in return also be.