When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, three times (yes! three times) he asked the Heavenly Father if it would be possible for the cup of God’s wrath to pass. Yet, Jesus said: “Not what I will, but Your will be done.”
We have to be careful not to assume that faith is mere human willpower. It isn’t. From that position, we may lean towards a “name it, and claim it” kind of theology which is dangerous. Let us take our cue from people in the Bible. Job was a ‘righteous’ man yet it was God’s will that he would endure suffering. Joseph was sold into slavery, and it took him over 13 or so years until God redeemed him. No doubt, Joseph was praying in faith and wondered where God as in all this. And even Jesus himself: He endured temptation, scorn, injustice, and finally, death — not at all as a mere example, but as God himself who became flesh to represent us and was born under the law (the righteous requirements of God which we all fail to meet) to break the curse of the law on our behalf.
So, what does true faith look like? Think of faith as trust. It is alright if our faith is weak because we trust in Jesus who is strong. Jesus himself modeled unparalleled faith to control laws of nature and to do the impossible provided that they fall within the parameters of God’s good and perfect will. Jesus fights our spiritual battles for us. In fact, He already won.
If our definition of the victorious Christian life is one where things always go the way we want it to be, then serious reflection and correction is necessary. Until Jesus returns to restore all things, we continue to live in a fallen world bound by the consequence of the fall and into sin. Things cannot always go our way. And God does send ‘rain’ – common grace – to the righteous, and even the wicked. And in light of this disheartening reality, we remind ourselves that we IN this world but not OF it. Take heart because God himself works in unseen ways to rescue his sheep. Only He knows who they are. Our task is to be willing servants knowing that we are undeserving like everybody else.
It is good to ask questions and even to listen to what skeptics are saying. They ask the right questions. Do not be afraid. God is with us. Pursue God in light of Biblical truth.