God calls His children to a life of abundance and power, a life full of His grace and love. Sometimes in life, however, we are faced with circumstances or obstacles that challenge our endurance in believing. We may face difficulties in achieving our goals. We may run into “bumps” along the road in categories like our health, our finances, our relationships. Regardless of what these bumps may be, how do we continue in our believing without losing heart?
In His Word, God lovingly provides us with encouragement for handling the situations we face.
Galatians 6:9:
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
The words “be weary” mean to lose one’s courage; to lose heart in view of trial or evils. To “faint” is to loosen out, relax, or weary. God’s Word encourages us to not lose our courage, to not lose heart, to not get weary in well doing or faint in our minds. As we do this, we shall receive the fruit of our labors.
How do we continue in our believing when we are challenged with losing heart or with fainting in our minds? Here are a few practical keys to help us not faint in our believing and be triumphant over every situation we face.
First, go to the light of God’s Word. His Word provides us with spiritual light that helps guide us through in times of need.
Psalms 119:130:
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
We can find those scriptures or records in His Word that remind us of God’s power and might. We let the light of God’s Word shine brightly on the situation, eliminating the darkness. The light of God’s Word helps us not to faint in our believing.
Another key to staying strong and fainting not is to maintain a spiritual focus by keeping the hope of Christ’s return foremost. Knowing that our lord and savior is coming back to gather the born-again ones will help our circumstances grow dim in comparison and will help us faint not.
II Corinthians 4:15-18:
For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
When we are faced with affliction, we may be tempted to only look at the “things which are seen,” the facts of the situation, the things that are right in front of our face. They can be very discouraging, and they can be contrary to God’s Word. But they are temporary.
In II Corinthians 4, we are encouraged to look at the things that are eternal. We keep a spiritual perspective by renewing our minds to what the Word says. This enables us to see things as God sees them. His viewpoint—the Word of God—supersedes facts, and it places us on higher ground.
If we are tempted to lose our courage or faint in our minds, we can remember that Christ is coming back! The afflictions and challenges we face today may not seem light (II Corinthians 4:17), but with a view toward the “big picture” and life everlasting, we are assured that as we faint not in our “light affliction,” it “worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” We will be rewarded for standing faithfully. The hope of the gathering together plus the rewards enables the believer to keep going despite the pressures. We have that Hope, and that’s a spiritual perspective that strengthens us so that we don’t faint. We stand boldly on God’s Word no matter the circumstances.
Another key we can put into practical application when we are facing discouragement is to pray often. Jesus Christ encouraged this.
Luke 18:1:
And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
When we pray, we get God Almighty, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, involved in our lives and we can release our burdens, giving them to Him. And as we persist in prayer regarding any matter according to His Word, our heavenly Father is faithful to hear and answer us.
Prayer is also a course that leads to peace. As we pray, God’s peace will keep, guard, and protect our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6,7). Prayer is crucial to managing a triumphant path filled with God’s goodness.
One more practical key we can apply to help us not faint in our believing is to rely on God’s strength.
Isaiah 40:28-31:
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
God gives power to the faint when natural energy and abilities fail. When we feel as though we have no might, He increases our strength. When we “wait upon the Lord,” we look for and expect God’s power, authority, and ability to energize and enable us. Then our strength is renewed so that we overcome obstacles and move onward. We shall run and not be weary; we shall walk and not faint.
There can be bumps on the road of life that may tempt us to lose our courage and our resolve to do the Word. These situations may be challenging and very difficult, but they’re not impossible to overcome. Rather than becoming weary in well doing and fainting in our minds, we can: shine more of the light of God’s Word on the situation, maintain a spiritual perspective with the hope of Christ’s return foremost, pray often, and rely on God’s strength. With God, all things are possible as we determine to believe and act on His Word. Let’s not be weary in well doing, for we shall receive the fruit of our labors, and we shall see the victory if we faint not!