In all things... remain faithful

But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.”
~ Luke 1:30

The apostle Paul, through all of his life-encounters, encouraged others to "Have joy."  While I am not Paul, I would suspect that with all the things going on in the world today, he might have also added, "Have faith as well."

Let's face it, the world that surrounds us today can be pretty unpredictable.  Not only that, it seems that this time of year with the holidays, I seem to be encountering more people expressing their deep anxieties.  So often I hear these words, "God is just trying to test me."

I'm unsure if any of us have ever fully studied, "the right" materials for some of these so-called, "tests!"

Faith is something that we simply can turn to when we have these encounters.  I am reminded that we may not always find ourselves as faithful as we could be, God, on the other hand, is faithful to us. 

In the season of Advent, we often hear that we await the, "Long expected Jesus."  In our waiting, we are also turning to our faith to embrace the faith that we need for each moment of our life.  Not just during the season of Advent, but throughout our whole life.  Faith is something that allows us to discover peace and joy, which are cornerstones of God's Kingdom.

We hold the promises of God, as God remains faithful to each of us, even when we find ourselves questioning ourselves, or allow for doubt or fear.  Paul reminds us, "Our hope is not deceptive because the Holy Spirit has already been poured into us."

We are simply never alone.  Remember, even the smallest speck of faith, like that of a mustard seed, is sufficient to help us through all that we may encounter.

Have faith while you remain in God's grip!

G. Todd Williams (c) 2019