Do you remember the day when you decided God was real? What or who was it who convinced your faith?
More than likely your faith developed step by step, relationship by relationship as you experienced other believers and their walk with God. Faith isn’t something that happens over night.
I remember clearly a day when someone who did not believe in Jesus questioned my faith in God to work out a difficult situation. His question, “Where is your faith?!” punched me in the stomach. My silent reply that he didn’t hear was , “I don’t have any, I guess.” I regretted that moment for years until I realized that it takes time to get to know God.
The truth is, I did have faith, but my faith was based on fear. I feared that God just wanted me to be lonely and miserable. I hadn’t lived long enough to see how He would work all things out for my good.
Faith in a God I Can Trust
My “faithless” moment was a turning point in my walk with God. When faced with disappointment and struggle there’s not much you can do but keep on living day by day. However, we always have a choice how we live. I’d already been down the path of searching for the bigger religion picture, and I was not returning to that. I was desperate to hold on. So, day by day I walked out my faith. I listened to a lot of worship music and demanded nap time, so I could work on Bible studies.
Slowly, surely, I began to understand God as a protective, wise, loving God who wanted the very best for me and my family.
And thirty years later He’s still revealing Himself to me. Even this summer is proving answers to my questions about disappointment I experienced last year and reasons for the new doors God opened. These were doors I couldn’t deny were His hand, but I walked through with a little heartache.
Faith that Moves No Mountains but Gets You Through
I remember questioning God last year. My heart felt a twinge of literal pain at times, but my friends, now I’m seeing God move in ways I could not imagine last summer. I did not have faith that would move mountains, but I’m beginning to see that our faith is not about us, it’s all about Him. His goodness. Kindness. Grace. He moves the mountains His way, His glorious way. We just have to hold on.
That’s what Ruth did on the road to Bethlehem when Naomi told her to go home to her gods. She held onto Naomi and to her mother-in-law’s God.
God’s been working this way for thousands of years. Just open your Bible and read of His work. The book of Ruth is one of those wonderful stories proving the amazing ways of God.
Just Hold On to Your Faith
I have no idea what you’re experiencing right now, but there’s a good chance life is not looking like you’d hoped. You might be questioning the circumstances and the goodness of God. You may be feeling like God just wants you to be miserable, and you’re wondering if you should just go back to Moab–to your place of unbelief.
But if that’s where you find yourself right now, I pray you’ll spend some time working through the Bite of Bread reading plan. It’s our 6th week of studying Ruth.
Bite of Bread Reading Plan and Printable
Here’s a sneak peek of the scriptures and prompts. If you don’t have my study on Ruth, you can download a handy printable to use during your quiet time. Just click on the printable links available.
Monday: Ruth 1:16
But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.
Prompt: This is probably one of the most loved verses in the Bible. Ruth’s words reveal commitment not only to stay with her mother-in-law, but to exchange her whole life—family, nationality, and faith for Naomi’s. Have you ever given up everything for someone else? What motivated you?
Tuesday: Ruth 1:17
Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.”
Prompt: In verse 16 Ruth proclaimed her faith in God, Eloyhim, the one true Creator God. In this verse, she spoke of the power of YHWH, the covenant, saving God and His interaction in her life. What do her words tell you about her faith in God? How does your faith compare to hers?
Use the Printable During Your Quiet Time
Wednesday: Matthew 13:45-46
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Prompt: We often hear this parable explained that we are the merchant who should sell everything for the pearl of great value, but what if we’ve got it turned around? What if Jesus is the merchant? What does this mean for you to be the pearl?
Thursday: John 1: 1-3
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Prompt: What did Jesus give up for you? What does that reveal about Him?
Don’t forget the free printable!
Friday: John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Prompt: What did God give up for us? What does that reveal about Him? Do you have trouble believing/trusting/knowing that the Creator and His Son love you? Write down your thoughts.
Let’s Pray Together
At the end of each lesson of my Ruth study, we pray the ancient Hebrew or Greek word the lesson focused on. If you can, pray it out loud.
“Elohiym (el-o-heem), you alone are worthy of our praise. You alone are worthy of our worship. We acknowledge you as our God today and Jesus as our Savior, who gave it all for us. We pray you take this knowledge from our heads to our hearts. Let us overflow with your love. Make us desperate for you. Strong. Courageous. Determined. We’ll follow you wherever you lead. We love you. Amen” (Ruth Bible study p. 66).
No Live Study This Week
I’m going out of town to spend the week with family, so I won’t be live this Wednesday night on Facebook. I will miss you! I plan on being back on track with you next week. Thanks so much for stopping by! I pray your faith has been encouraged and the reading plan will feed your hungry soul.
Digging Deep,
Andy
