Evidence of things not seen

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

The Lord does not give up on us but we do give up on him. He is a “right now” God and he does not delay our blessing. That’s what we must always believe. We may not be able to see it in the moment but God has answered prayer. The pain may still be there, the bank account may still be low, something still appears broken, yet God has answered prayer. If we need to see it instantly then it is not faith. “Faith is the substance “substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.”

Spurgeon showed us the different stages of faith: ask, rely and be assured. In the story of the father who importuned for his son’s healing: The father travels with all speed; he arrives at the place where Jesus is: his faith has got to such a stage that, as soon as he sees the master, he begins to cry, "Lord, come down ere my child die." The Master, instead of giving him an answer which might console him, rebukes him for the littleness of his faith, and tells him, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." The man, however, pays little regard to the rebuke, for there is a desire which has absorbed all the powers of his soul. His mind is so overwhelmed with one anxiety, that he is oblivious to anything else. "Sir," he said, "come down or my child dies." 

His faith has now arrived at such a stage that he pleads in prayer, and earnestly importunes the Lord to come and heal his son. The Master looks upon him with an eye of ineffable benevolence, and says to him, "Go thy way, thy son liveth." The father goes his way cheerfully, quickly, contentedly, trusting in the word which as yet no evidence has confirmed. He has now come to the second stage of his faith; he has come out of the seeking stage into the relying stage. He no more cries and pleads for a thing he has not; he trusts and believes that the thing is given to him, though as yet he has not received the gift. 

On his road home, the servants meet him with joyful haste; they say, "Master, thy son liveth." He enquires quickly at what hour the fever left him. The answer is given him,—about the seventh hour the fever abated; nay, it stayed its course. Then he comes to the third stage. He goes home; he sees his child perfectly restored. The child springs into his arms, covers him with kisses; and when he has held him up again and again to see if he was really the little one that lay so wan, and pale, and sick, he triumphs in a higher sense still. His faith has gone from reliance up to full assurance; and then his whole house believed as well as himself.

Exercise faith so that like this father who prayed for his son, we will not allow anything to distract us from God’s promises.

GiGi❤️​