"... a faith that inflates during difficult times."

A thought by Louie Giglio, from his book, Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table. (p. 17). Thomas Nelson, Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.)

That is what we also need.

Louie says, "I look at Paul and Silas; at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and at all the people throughout Scripture who encountered times of intense trouble yet went bigger with their faith, and I marvel. The prophet Habakkuk stated it clearly when he cried out:

Fig tree

" ' Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes grow on the vines, even though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no grain, even though the sheep all die and the cattle stalls are empty, I will still be joyful and glad, because the LORD God is my savior.' (Habakkuk 3:17–18 GNT)"

He goes on, "The last two lines indicate huge faith. And did you notice the two phrases repeated three times in Habakkuk’s prayer?

"Even though . . . I will . . .

"Habakkuk basically said, 'Even though there’s no harvest, and even though crops fail, and even though the fields are desolate, and even though the stalls of provision are empty, I will still be joyful and glad because the Lord God is my Savior. I have not lost my faith. In fact, my faith is even greater. I’m still going to rejoice in the Lord. I’m still going to worship God. I’m not going to get sidetracked by attitudes or actions that harm me. When I encounter hard times, my faith inflates.' "

Louie continues, "Those two phrases lay out a powerful cause-and-effect relationship as an example for us to follow. Even though bad things happen, I will still praise the Lord. Even though bad things happen, I will not let my mind be lost to the Enemy."

He later says, "This is not the faith of a Christian who believes in God only when the sun shines. This is not a faith that wilts under pressure. This faith flourishes even though the pressure is on. This faith says, Even though bad things are happening, I will praise the Lord."

And that is the kind of faith we need even when a pandemic seems to be winding down. And that is the kind of faith we need today, isn't it?

Yes, yes!

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Just Continue That Thought...

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