Encouragement for Your Week: May 17-23
This Week’s Verse
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."
— Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)
Devotion
For a long time, I thought faith was just a fancy word for "wishing really hard." I treated it like a coin tossed into a fountain—hoping for the best but expecting nothing. But as I’ve grown, I’ve realized that true faith isn't a shot in the dark. It’s actually built on a foundation of knowledge.
While we can’t physically see God, faith is the "spiritual eyesight" that recognizes He is there. It’s not about ignoring reality; it’s about acknowledging a deeper reality that our physical senses can't pick up. When we seek Him, we start to see His fingerprints on our lives, and that experience turns a "wish" into a conviction.
It’s easy to put our faith in the wrong things. We do it all the time without realizing it. We put our ultimate trust in our bank accounts, our careers, or even our relationships. But when we elevate these "created things" to a divine status, we’re essentially building on sand. These are "idols," and they eventually let us down because they aren't designed to carry the weight of our souls. True faith is different because it’s grounded in the Creator, not the creation.
I love the imagery of faith being an anchor (Hebrews 6:19). Think about it:
The Waves: Anxiety, fear, and the daily chaos of life.
The Anchor: A steady confidence that doesn't shift when the weather gets rough.
This confidence isn't something I have to conjure up on my own. According to Ephesians 2:8, the ability to believe is actually a gift. The Holy Spirit does the heavy lifting, empowering us to trust God’s promises even when the world feels like it’s spinning out of control.
So why is this important? Because faith provides the answers to the "Big Five" questions that keep most of us up at night: Where am I? In a world created and sustained by God. Who am I? One of God’s own people, deeply loved. What’s wrong? We’ve all been fractured by sin. What’s the fix? Trusting in Jesus, the Son of God. Where am I going? Toward a future of complete renewal and peace.
This week, take some time to look at your "anchors." Are you tied to something that shifts with the tide, or are you anchored in the assurance of what is yet unseen? Remember, faith doesn't require you to have all the answers—it just requires you to trust the One who does.