Unshakeable Faith

Unshakeable Faith
Written by: Jeremy Vanderloop

​In the past couple months we have had an interesting amount of tests and challenges to our ministry, both good and bad. As we come across challenges and complications there are two things we can do. The first and most natural is that we simply get down in a type of pity party and start blaming someone else for every bad thing that happens in our lives, wether a person or God. This makes sense, due to the fact that the very first thing we do in our human nature is to try and blame shift the sources of our problems and struggles to others. For example, the very first thing Adam did in the garden after the fall, was blame God and Eve. "The man said, 'The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.'" Genesis 3:12. Adam totally put it on God and Eve for a decision he made. Rather than looking inwardly to see if there might be an issue in our hearts, we tend to look outwardly to blame others.
​Based on the situation, sometimes it is others who are causing us trials and hardships. For example, when someone is persecuted for their faith, or maybe raped or murdered without cause. These type of things are sometimes hard to address or explain why they happen. The only explanation I have is that it is due to the sin and selfishness of a fallen and deprived world.
​This brings me to the second and most Christlike response to these hardships that all so often plague our lives. When we come across challenges and complications as believers, we are called to look to the future and past the trial. We are called to put our trust in Christ and him alone. It is putting full trust and faith in Jesus, that he is able and will deliver us from our struggles at the appointed time. With this truth, we are made unshakeable. James put it in such a beautiful and elegant way in James 1:2-4 where he is quoted saying, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." In all reality these struggles push us to a more mature walk with Christ, if we embrace them and rejoice in Christ through them. As Christians, we were never granted a life filled with cup cakes and rainbows, on the other hand we are actually promised to suffer and be persecuted for Christ's sake. (John 15:18-20)
​So my question is, what does it look like to "count it all joy" and live a life of unshakable faith? With this question I am continually reminded of one of our great church fathers, the Apostle Paul. Who in his letter to the Philippian church wrote, "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith." Phil. 3:7-9
In order for Paul to write such an intense statement as "counting all things as rubbish," which in the Greek can literally mean animal excrement, his faith was not based on things of this world, but on Christ and him alone.
​Paul had come from a back ground of great social status and wealth. We know he had dual citizenship, as a Jew and also a Roman citizen, which was not common for most jews. We also know that Paul studied under Gamaliel, a well known teacher of his time. If anyone had anything going for him, it would have been Paul. He was well respected, a pharisee of pharisee's, and was moving his way up the social latter of his time.
​Paul underwent severe persecution for Christ. From being stoned, beaten and flogged, ship wrecked, arrested falsely numerous times, and finally being executed for the Gospel in Rome. Paul had found the meaning of true joy and having unshakable faith in what he believed. He knew that Jesus would always take care of him. He never looked to his circumstances, but rather to Christ, who through and for him all things were made. Paul knew what God had called him to do, and that He would work all things out. Paul’s life and purpose, as is our own, was to bring glory to Christ.
​In Pauls letter to the Roman church in chapter 8 verse 18 he is quoted saying, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Paul’s point, as is mine, is that anything we are going through compared to Jesus and what he has planned for us, does not even come close to the joy that Christ brings to our lives.
​The key to living a life of unshakable faith is this,you must have a working understanding of who Jesus is, know what He has called you to do, and fully understand that He is going to provide for you no matter what your circumstances are telling you. Even if your struggles and challenges result in death, Christ has still provided for you with his blood and in that has given you eternal life. Unshakable faith is understanding how much larger our God is, compared to our problems. Faith produces actions according to its strength. When you push through your struggles, fully trusting and being obedient to to God’s voice, you will see God do some amazing things through your life, but only if you endure and push through your trials.
​In closing, I pray that this blog has encouraged you to keep pushing through your struggles. That you would fully understand how special you are to Jesus and he has you in His arms. You have nothing to be afraid of for God knows the plans He has for you and He is never surprised when you come across something hard in your life. The harder it gets, I encourage you to dig your heels deeper into intimacy with God and not be swept away by the cares of this world. I encourage you to read Matthew 10:26-31, for you are more valuable than many sparrows.

-Jeremy Vanderloop