Life is often tough and difficult. We face uncertainties in so many aspects of our life. There are so many uncertainties in our personal health, world peace and world economies, that the only thing certain is change. We can never predict how our health will turn out to be, how our financials will be in a downturn in world economies and even how our relationships will develop with our colleagues, friends and family.
Yet, we can thank God that we have an Almighty God who creates everything from nothing. He is omnipotent (almighty), omniscient (all-knowing, all-wise), omnipresent (all-around). He is the ever-present God who is Almighty, all powerful, all wise, all knowing, ever present in time of our need and all loving and all merciful. He is our heavenly Father. As all earthly fathers will naturally care for his children, likewise our Heavenly Father will care for us as His children.
The only difference is our earthly father has limitations but our heavenly father has no limitation for He creates the heaven and the earth and all on earth and heaven are His.
Oftentimes, we are derailed and distracted by the adverse circumstances and situations. We are overcome by these and deprived of our peace and joy in knowing and trusting our Almighty God.
One of the critical factors to overcome all these uncertainties and our circumstantial fears is an unwavering belief in God and a complete dependence and trust to know that our God is able and more than willing to help us in our times of need. We are reminded of the faith of a Canaanite woman who overcame her ordeal through her unwavering faith in God as recorded for us in Matthew 15:21-28.
Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes, it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.”
Her great faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son and our Saviour, has moved Jesus’ heart to fulfil her desperate need and heal her suffering daughter. Faith in God’s son, Jesus Christ, is the only way that not only gives us eternal life, but also eternal gifts needed for our life. It is through our unwavering faith that we can overcome the difficulties and hardship which we face in life.
It is faith to believe in the One who can calm the storms, who performs miracles in healing and resurrection of His own life and the lives of many, that we can safely overcome all the adversities that this cruel life often throws at us. It is the faith in our loving God and heavenly Father and our Saviour that we can sail through the storms in life with joy, peace and victory.