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The Pastors Blog

Endure #3 Questions for CG and Devotions

Enduring Faith Holding Onto the One Who Holds Onto Us

Dear Friends,

During yesterday’s message titled “What is Enduring Faith Made of?” we reflected on the Canaanite women seeking help for her daughter in Matthew 15:21-28.  Despite several rebuffs from the Lord, this woman persevered in her faith and found Jesus’ great encouragement for her endurance.
 
Here are some question for reflection in CG and your private devotions.
 
1.      Enduring Faith Accepts God for Who He is
 
This desperate woman was faced with a hard truth from the Lord:  She – like all of us – had to face the reality that before God’s holy bar of justice we all stand condemned for our sins.  Therefore, God owed her nothing and she had no right to his mercy (v.24-26). 
 
Yet her response to this - “yes Lord” - was not protest or pride, but humble acceptance.
 
Questions arise for us as we consider her example. What do we do with God when we are faced with a hard truth from His word or difficulties He allows into our lives? 
 
When we face a hard truth, like say the doctrine of election - are we quietly offended and protest “how can God be this way?” or do we resolve to trust Him and seek His help to understand what He would allow us to see?  When faced with trials, do we grumble and complain and say, “we deserve better than this from the Lord?” Or are we willing to accept God for Who He is, what He has sovereignly ordained and put our faith in Him?
 
·      Consider the difficulties (and the difficult truths) God has allowed you to face?  How have you responded to Him? 
 
·      Pray that God would give you grace to accept what He has ordained and trust Him despite the difficulties He allows.
 
 
2.      Enduing Faith Refuses to Give up on God’s Good Heart
 
This Canaanite woman humbly accepted that God owed her nothing, but she did not stop there.  She persevered in her pleas because she trusted that Jesus’ heart was not only just, it also compassionate. She was convinced that His heart was full of mercy and that He was the “kind of Savior” who longed to help her, despite all appearance to the contrary - even the hard words from His own lips!  
 
And we know from Jesus emotional response that not only was she right about His great compassion, but that this kind of persevering faith in His good heart was exactly what He longed to find in her. 
 
We are often tempted to judge God by our circumstances, but He calls us to judge our difficulties by His faithful and compassionate heart.   The truth is that despite our trials, God’s heart does not change.  He is 100% for us and committed in all of our suffering to sustain us and use trouble for our good (e.g., Col 3:12; Rom 8:28-39; Psalm 139:1-16).
 
·      Think through present or past trials you’ve face.  How do you think you have let them interpret God for you?  Do you find yourself subtly tempted to see Him as cold, aloof, or indifferent in His affections toward you?
 
·      Have you given up praying for His help because you’ve – perhaps even quietly – decided He is not able or willing to help?
 
·      Consider Jesus response to the woman’ faith in this story (Matthew 15:28). Do you recognize how precious it is to God when we believe Him for His good heart despite our circumstances?
 
·      Consider spending some time praising God and acknowledging His goodness and know it pleases His heart.  Ask for His help to trust in His compassion and mercy despite other “voices”.
 
 
 
3.     A “Method” for Perseverance
 
One of the lessons from this story we can glean comes from the the example of exactly how the woman persevered in hope.  And so we asked the question:  how exactly did this woman exercise faith that pleased Jesus so?  What was her “method” so to speak?
 
IN verse 26-27 we see how she met a sobering and potentially discouraging truth from Jesus with an encouraging truth highlighting God's mercy.  This greatly pleased the Lord. In fact - presenting an encouraging truth after a sobering one was something Jesus did Himself (As well as His apostles) not too infrequently.  See for example John 6:37; Heb 4:13-16; 1 Cor 10; Matt 11:27-30; 1 Cpr 10:6-13.
 
About this pattern Charles Spurgeon recommended to his hearers:
“Do not contradict a frowning truth of God, but bring up a smiling one to meet it!”
As you consider struggles and failures in your life; as you even consider how God’s sobering truths have been fulfilled in suffering and discipline He's allowed you to go through, can you nevertheless bring encouraging truth to bear in those situations?  Do you know how to you claim God's words of mercy and promises sustaining grace for you despite difficulties?
 
Consider bringing a tough situation your in to brother or sister and ask for help in claiming God's promises of mercy and grace for that situation.
 
Pray that God would help you follow this woman's example of holding onto God's mercy by claiming promises from His word over your life.
 
 
OK, folks that's all for this week.
 
Until next time, may we all grow in holding onto God's good heart!
Albert