My family and I have been going through some very trying times in recent months, and many of the people who care about us often ask us how we're coping. For a long time, I wasn't paying much attention to how I was answering them. Then one day, it dawned on me that I was talking too much about my problems and the pain I was experiencing, and not enough about the faithfulness of God. I kept telling people how discouraged, bewildered, and confused I was, and instead of it making me feel better, it only made me feel worse. I had to ask myself, "Do you really believe all those things you are always writing and telling others about--or don't you?" When I realized that I did believe, I knew that I had to begin expressing my confidence in God's ability and willingness to deliver us from our troubles. As I began talking to others about the faithfulness of God, I began to sense a fresh sense of hope springing up on the inside of me, and I could finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.

The Bible says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23 NIV) When we're going through difficult times, it's important for us to confess our hope in God and His faithfulness to His Word--not just to others, but to ourselves. We've all heard the importance of making positive confessions, but how many of us are putting this valuable biblical principle into practice on a regular basis? After the Lord helped me to acknowledge my negative speech, He showed me this verse and challenged me to begin confessing continually, "He who promised is faithful. " Suddenly, my emotions didn't seem so out of control, and I was able to calm down and cheer up. Scripture says: "[Christ] always does exactly what He says. He carries out and fulfills all of God's promises, no matter how many of them there are; and we have told everyone how faithful He is, giving glory to His name." When we're faced with adversity, we should ask ourselves, "Am I telling everyone how faithful God is?" As this verse reveals, we glorify the Lord when we talk about His faithfulness. In the book of Malachi, God rebukes His people for saying things like: "What's the use of serving God? For those who do evil get rich, and those who dare God to punish them go free of harm." (Malachi 3:14,15 NLT) On the other hand, He takes special note of those who speak favorably of Him. "Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In His presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared Him and loved to think about Him." The Lord calls these faithful ones, "My own special treasure," and He promises them preferential treatment in the days to come. (Malachi 3:17-18 NLT)

The prophet Isaiah wrote: "The Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for Him to help them." (Isaiah 30:18 NLT) If we don't truly believe in God's faithfulness, we will find it nearly impossible to wait for Him to act on our behalf when we're going through trials and the pressure is on. We will most likely do something hasty that we will regret later on, and we will miss out on the rewards and blessings that He had in store for us. If you are going through some difficult times of your own right now, I encourage you to search out Scriptures that attest to the faithfulness of God. Memorize them and declare them day and night. Every time you're tempted to doubt or become fearful, answer your fears and doubts with the truth of God's Word. Your spirit will be lifted, and your faith will be renewed. And the time you spend waiting on the Lord will go more quickly and be less draining. Join me now in declaring to our God--"I entrust my spirit into Your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for You are a faithful God!" (Psalm 31:5 NLT)

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the times that I spoke more words of doubt and fear, than words of faith and praise. Give me a fresh revelation of Your faithfulness, and help me to tell others about it in ways that most glorify You. May I always be able to confess with confidence and conviction, "He who promised is faithful!"