"Hope is hearing the melody of the future. Faith is dancing to it now.” Richard Alves
He pulled the car over on the side of the small Texas highway. He came over to my side and opened my car door and asked me to dance. With the car radio turned up loud, two teenagers danced hand-in-hand as cars passed by. We trusted in the future together. We didn’t know what it would entail but we had faith that whatever it was, we could make it through together....
What is faith? We hear the word so often that sometimes it loses its power. Faith is believing that something is going to happen before it does. Faith is putting all of our belief in someone whom we have never met. Faith is believing that the promises we have been told WILL come to pass. Faith is what you have while you wait.
If your faith has ever been tested, then you know you are in the presence of God. If your hopes have ever been dashed, then you know the King of Kings will have a platform. On Christmas Eve 2007, my faith was tested when I learned that the precious little girl I had been carrying for 9 months had beaten me to heaven. I stared at her little heart on the sonogram in disbelief. I had trusted God with her heart and mine.
Once I got over the anger and shock of it all, I began to question my faith. Did I still believe He was good? Did I still believe He was sovereign? Did I believe that my faith was all I needed to get me through? This earth-shattering trial forced me to look faith in the face and own up. I decided that I was going to have faith, no matter what the cost. I had to! I had to believe that everything I had ever read was true! I had to believe that His word was real and that I would see her again.
Faith is believing that, which has no absolute proof. It is determining to trust Him when He has not answered all of the questions or even assured a pain-free passage. It is hanging tough when the evidence would have us bail out. Elisha didn’t see the army of God, but he knew it was there. Abraham didn’t see the baby boy, but he believed he would one day. Staring at the cross, no one saw the risen Jesus, but faith said He would come back and save the world.
Faith is lying down reality. Faith is lying down the facts. Faith is lying down your Isaac and trusting God to come through. It is a decision you have to make. It is an all-encompassing truth that says you will trust Jesus no matter what the circumstances. It is believing He is good even when life isn’t.
Ten months after we ushered our daughter into heaven, we celebrated the birth of our new baby girl. We heard cries where there was once silence. We felt joy where there was once pain. Beauty for our ashes.
He is good. He redeems. Our faith in Him is worth it. He got off of that cross. He walked out of that tomb. He is worthy of our faith.
It has been almost 15 years since my husband pulled over on the side of that highway.
I am so thankful we had the faith to dance.
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