Gracious Gift of Faithfulness
G.R.A.C.E. – Gently Radiating A Christ-like Example
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)
Grief(s)
I attend church and Bible study, and have accepted Christ as my Savior. However, I feel like I am missing what God really wants me to know about the fruit of faithfulness. How can I find what’s missing?
Response
Christ is our example of faithfulness. We see the purity and strength of will in His faithfulness to His Father. Therefore, we can have confidence that the Holy Spirit will generate changes in our hearts and minds to conform us to the image of His faithful, dear Son (Romans 8:29). Bible reading, prayer, and meditation will bring us into intimacy with Him. Misconceptions we obtain through folklore, tradition, superstition, and personal opinions are pruned away as you become more Christ-like.
Affirm
How can we know faithfulness? God’s word is full of great faith stories – of Moses, Abraham, Joshua, David, Daniel, and many more. Read the ‘Hall of Faith’ account in Hebrews 11. Jesus also was faithful to God. Remember how He sweat great drops of blood in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested and carried off to prison the night before his crucifixion? Yet He remained faithful to His Father’s will for Him. Just as these people were faithful to God, He remained faithful to them.
Think about God’s faithfulness to you:
- safety and protection,
- the beauty of the sunrise in the morning and the sunset at night,
- eyes to watch your children at play,
- ears to hear beautiful music,
- a home for shelter,
- answered prayers,
- His presence always being with you,
- and a Heavenly home with Him,
These are a few ways God faithfully demonstrates His love for you. How do you demonstrate that love to others, your husband, and family? Do you think about how God uses you to reflect His faithfulness in your relationships?
Proverbs 31:12 says,
“She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.”
What a compliment to this woman…Christ’s faithfulness in your actions may make you just as honored in your husband’s eyes!
Connect
Faithfulness is shown by loving others, especially your husband, as God faithfully cares for and loves you ~
- Speak with wisdom and faithful instruction (Proverbs 31:26).
- Honor him in your speech before others (Proverbs 31:11).
- Be humbly honest with him in every situation (Proverbs 31:12).
- Be committed to your faith…attend worship in a church that preaches the gospel.
- Find godly fellowship and support in a small group Bible study.
- Let the peace of God rule in your heart in conflicting situations (Col. 3:15).
- Take no action until you have asked God for guidance.
- Keep a quiet time with the Lord every day.
- Find thoughtful ways to encourage your husband.
- Guard and protect your time together.
Equip
The third verse of the well known hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness” says:
“Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! Great is thy faithfulness, great is thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed thy hand hath provided; great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.”
Thomas Chisholm, the writer of the hymn, knew from the deep well of intimate fellowship with His Savior that He could draw on the power of the Holy Spirit when life was at its darkest. We should be encouraged by the words he penned as he saw the presence of our faithful God
all around him! His personal offering to Jesus has become a legacy of humble worship in a song that is sung with grateful hearts full of awe and wonder at being blessed with God’s faithfulness.
G.R.A.C.E. Gem:
Be assured, dear ones, that…
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it (carry it on) until the day of Jesus Christ”
Philippians 1:6