Feeding on Faithfulness

“Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” Psalm 36:5

“Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.” Psalm 37:3

What comes to mind when you think of the word “faithful?” Is it something you value? Sometimes, I find myself wanting other more showy attributes like beauty or talent or quick-wittedness or influence, but what about steadfastness? Does it seem like a lesser attribute?

I love that the Psalmist elevates this attribute. What a stunning picture of God’s character. The God of the universe, the one who created the heavens and all their host with the “breath of his mouth” is faithful as far as we can see. Think of the most open space you can think of, and it doesn’t even touch his faithfulness. I love that. One of the definitions of faithful is being true to a standard. True in our thinking and true in our actions.

So, what’s wrong with my thinking when it strikes me as a lesser gift? It is mentioned as a fruit of the spirit, after all!

I think sometimes in our culture, quickness is valued over long suffering. In our social media culture, where quick tag lines go viral, consistently showing up for another person or remaining true when it isn't fun isn’t always valued. It feels hard, and we don’t always like to do hard things. Sometimes, our culture says it’s uninformed or “blind.” The thought of trusting in something or someone that is unseen and basing actions and decisions on that trust seems reckless. Even in Jesus’ life, there were times when people thought he should move faster or take matters into his own hands, but scripture tells us that the Lord is not slow but instead sees things differently than I do. He has an eternal purpose.

“The Lord is not slow in fulfilling his promise as some count slowness, but it is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Jesus trusted in God, His father, and it sustained him in unimaginable hardship and rejection. I think that is the very thing I love about faithfulness. God’s faithfulness is an anchor for our soul when the waves of life threaten to submerge us into darkness. Though “weeping may tarry for the night”, joy comes in the morning. The sun rises and sets every day. God established such beautiful rhythms and is always faithful to execute them. As my pastor said this past Sunday, God’s very faithfulness and steadfastness is what helps anchor us during tumultuous times when relationships sour and hurt abound.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.” Lamentations 3:22

I have recently been walking through a dark time with a family member. It has been gut wrenching at times. But, the Lord has sustained me in so many unexpected ways. And while circumstances didn’t immediately change and frankly seemed to be going in the wrong direction, God’s love and provision showed up in the quiet of the morning, in the text from a friend, and in prayer in the driveway. I believe the Lord orchestrated all those things.

As powerful as the Lord is, he is never negligent in the big or small matters. Human beings can break faith very easily or when it suits them, but it’s His very identity. And He is always true to himself.

“If we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself.” 2 Timothy 2:13

Every day, I think we are called to clothe ourselves in faith as if it is our very identity. But if we simply put on an act and don’t internalize faithfulness, we will fizzle out quickly. There are several attributes of faithfulness, but one I’d like to focus on is steadfastness. The quality of being unmovable. Unshakeable. Unmoving in pursuing God and others despite hard times, despite rejection. Firm. No matter what. So, how do we forgive despite being hurt? How do we obey when it feels hard or wrong? How do we make it more than just empty sacrifice or going through the motions?

As Jon Bloom writes, “...‘cultivate,’ ‘feed on’, and ‘befriend’ all give us some sense of what David wants us to do: devote ourselves to developing faithfulness until it becomes part of us.” (Devote Yourself to Faithfulness: How to Cultivate a Quiet Virtue, DesiringGod)

The word tells us that true sacrifice is thanksgiving. Gratitude is not just positive thinking. It is reorienting our thinking to what God has truly done. What are those times where the Lord met you and sustained you when nothing else did? Focusing on what God has done develops our trust in Him, helping us to have faith when there doesn’t seem to be a clear way forward. Sometimes, when circumstances seem to be screaming a very powerful narrative, we need to focus on the truth. The truth of what the Lord has done for us and not the lies of the enemy. In the Psalms, David often commands his own soul to believe and reminds himself of all that God had done for him and God's people. Jesus himself faced unimaginable hardship and rejection, and was able to endure by focusing on the “joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:1-4) and it’s by focusing on Him and his goodness that we can reorient our vision.

Levi Lusko said in his book Take Back Your Life, “What is faith if not a filter that allows you to process your experiences through the goodness of God, choosing to reject what you see and clinging to what you trust he is doing? Faith allows you to believe your beliefs and doubt your doubts.”

I love that it does not depend on me, that it’s Jesus who is doing the heavy lifting.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Let’s elevate faithfulness back to the place it should be.