Faith Like a Fire
When I read Hebrews, I realized something about chapter 11 that really resonated with me:
The people mentioned in this chapter were leaps and bounds out of their comfort zones. That's how they made it onto this list; by leaving their comfort zones and venturing off into territory that was scary and unknown.
Noah - he made the ark like God told him to, even when no one believed the flood would come. He was likely regarded as crazy and his whole family would have been treated badly.
Abraham - he waited for years for his promised son, but God told him to take the boy and sacrifice him. Abraham didn't hesitate to do the Lord's will, even when it meant losing a loved one.
Moses - denied his royal upraising to instead suffer with the people of God. He was raised by the Pharaoh's daughter and would likely have had power in that position, but he denied that family for a better one, even though it meant a hard life.
Rahab - she hid the Israelite spies in her house even though it could have killed her. She was likely told that these people were dangerous and shouldn't be trusted, and she risked death to protect them.
Daniel - saved from the lion's den. He should have died, yet God allowed him to survive, keeping the animals at bay.
The Israelites - they wandered the desert for years and often felt as though they'd gone down a dead-end road. How could God possibly get them across the Red Sea? How would He keep such a large group from starvation? How? There's no way He could save them this time. But he did. Even when the people couldn't see or understand how, He did.
All these people were probably wishing to be safe and not risking their lives, reputation or loved ones, yet they kept going. Because they had faith.
They knew that whatever happened, it would all turn out alright; God was with them.
In the case of Rahab, she was a prostitute and likely not familiar with the Lord. Yet she hid the Israelite spies and risked death, realizing that their God was different from the idols.
Faith is trusting God. No matter what. Not just from within your comfort zone, but from outside of it.
Just like David, we will be saved by our God. Even when we can't see a way out, know that God is planning your escape. Faith is trusting in what you cannot see or understand.
Faith is also like a fire. A fire must be started in a sheltered place, where no wind will blow it out and it can gain strength. But once the fire is started, the wind fuels it; it grows and spreads. Faith is the same, once it's started, it need hardships to fuel it and refine it.
Faith is started in your comfort zone and perfected through hardships.
