Often we find ourselves wondering if we have enough faith to face whatever life may throw at us. Looking at others who may be facing a sickness, financial strain or death in their families may make you question your ability to stand firm in your time of testing or trial. Or maybe you are in your season of struggles and challenges and don’t believe you will have the faith to make it through all that you’re facing. Let me encourage you today, because the scripture tells us many truths that will help us.
The most important thing to remember is that Jesus is the one who is in charge of our faith. The scripture tells us in, Hebrews 12:2,
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
King James calls him the Author and Finisher of our Faith. After looking up the definitions I think we will get a great picture of what the scripture is telling us.
A “Pioneer” by definition is
(1) Noun – a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or an area
(2) Verb – to develop or be the first to use or apply (knowledge, technique, or activity)
I think we can all agree that with our knowledge of Christ, what he did on the cross and his great love for us, faith flooded our hearts. This made us open to him, to become a child of God. The scripture says that “they that come to him must first believe that he exist” Heb. 11:6 Jesus himself pioneers or authors that burst of faith we feel as we come to him. He is the very one to first explore our hearts with faith and introduce it to our being. This also means that he then takes responsibility for it.
Everyone who has pioneered something becomes the expert of it, the one who leads the charge in it, the one who sets the tone and the direction of where that thing will go. This is true for Christ as well. The scripture tells us that it isn’t enough for Jesus just to pioneer or author our faith but that he must perfect or finish it. Let’s look up that definition, “perfecter”, or “perfect” means…
(1) A person who completes or makes something perfect
(2) conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type
(3) excellent or complete beyond practical or theoretical improvement
(4) exactly fitting the need in a certain situation or for a certain purpose
(5) entirely without any flaws, defects, or shortcomings
(6) accurate, exact, or correct in every detail
(7) thorough; complete; utter
(8) pure or unmixed
Wow!!! Jesus will do all of these things to our faith!
He takes on the responsibility to perfect our faith, that we may be pleasing to God. Remember, “without faith it is impossible to please Him,” Heb 11:6.
So, that means that he will help us in every situation that tries on our faith, Every moment that challenges what we believe. Every dark place where we feel we don’t have enough to keep believing. He is that pioneer, he is that perfecter and he will help our faith remain steadfast and true. We just have to let him do his work and trust him to do it!!