Day by Day - October 13, 2011
Faith Personified
by Charles R. Swindoll
Read 1 Kings 17:24
When the woman saw that her son was alive, she didn't see Elijah. She saw the Lord. "Elijah, I've heard you talk about the God of heaven. I've heard you refer to Him in various ways. But now, when I look at this miracle, I know that you speak the truth."
If you wish to be a man or woman of God, it is essential that you face the impossible situations of life with faith, as Elijah did. If you are a young person who desires to live a godly life that will leave its mark upon this world, you must learn early to stand in the shadow of your Savior, trusting Him to work through the trials you encounter, through the extreme circumstances you cannot handle. The God of Elijah is your God. He is still the God of impossible situations. He still does what no earthly individual can do. Trust Him to do that!
Elijah approached the impossible with calmness and contentment, with gentleness and self-control, with faith and humility. As I've mentioned from the beginning, Elijah was heroic in exploits of faith, but he remained a model of humility.
Examine your own life for these character traits and take them one by one before God. You might say to the Lord, for example, "Lord, today I want to do what You say regarding contentment; I want to have a calm and gentle spirit. I don't simply want to call myself a Christian. I want to be known as a genuine servant of God because my life demonstrates the truth I say I believe. Help me this day to face everything and deal with everyone with a gentle and quiet spirit. Help me to be content, even though things don't go my way.
"Help me today with diligence, Lord. I tend to lose sight of the goal as the day wears on. I'm a good starter, but I don't finish well. Help me to do a quality piece of work and not to give in to the mood of the moment.
"And, Lord, help me, when You begin to bring to pass these qualities in my life, not to call attention to them, but just to let them flow out of my life in glory to You. Help me to become Your servant, Your man, Your woman."
That is how we personify a life of faith.
Reprinted by permission. Day by Day, Charles Swindoll, July 2005, Thomas Nelson, inc., Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Purchase "Day by Day" here.
