The Test of Time

I am so tired of dealing with my migraines. I hate the pain and the nausea and the dizziness and the fatigue and everything else that comes with an attack. I especially hate the unpredictability of them. I could be perfectly fine one minute, but the next be in a heap on the floor because of a migraine attack, and have absolutely no idea why. I have a hard time dealing with the fact that these migraines will most likely never go completely away. As I’m writing this, I’m dealing with that frustration.

My pastor recently said something, though, that was helpful: “God can enable you to pass the test of time.” His message was on Daniel and how he spent seventy years in captivity. Seventy years is a very long time. I have only been dealing with my migraines now for about nine years. And I’m sick and tired of them. Having a good attitude is hard. Yet Daniel kept a good attitude and kept his focus on God throughout his captivity.

When I think of people in the Bible who had to endure the “test of time,” I think of Hebrews 11 which lists so many people who had to endure uncertainty and hardship and struggle, some for a very long time. In that one chapter—those forty verses—the phrases “by faith,” “in faith,” and “through faith” are used over twenty times. I think the author was trying to make a point: These people endured what they did because they had faith in God that He would keep His promises.

So, faith is what enables me to endure and to pass the test of time. But what is it? Hebrews 11:1 gives a definition of faith. It is “the [confidence] of things hoped for, the [conviction] of things not seen.” Faith is simply choosing to believe something (for example, I have faith that the step will hold me when I step on it; or, I have faith that a friend will do what they have said they would). The people in Hebrews 11 chose to believe that God would keep the promises He had given them. In order for me to be able to endure, I need to believe that, too.

If I am to have faith in God’s promises to me, I need to know what those promises are. That’s where studying God’s Word becomes important. The Bible is full of God’s promises. The one promise that I have clung to the most and that has encouraged me the most when I’m really struggling is that God will never leave me. He’s right there with me in the darkest and most painful times. Choosing to believe that and thus knowing I’m not alone brings so much comfort.

So, whenever I am tired of putting up with the pain, nausea, dizziness, etc., I need to remember to have faith and endure. If all of those people in Hebrews 11 (who did not have the Bible to learn about God from) could endure based on their faith in God’s promises, how much more should I since I have God’s many promises so easily accessible?

You will notice that there is no comment box below. In lieu of replying by leaving a comment, please reply by email.