Does God Have Faith in You?

I heard a really interesting comment this week at a funeral that I haven't been able to get out of my mind.  The pastor at the funeral said, "When God takes your troubles away it develops great faith in Him.  When He doesn't take them away it shows His faith in you." Wow! What an idea?  Could it be that God might have faith in us to be able to handle some of our own troubles.  It is easier when He simply takes the troubles away, but maybe it is more beneficial when He allows us to go through them because He believes we are ready to deal with them.

I remember hearing Dave Dravecky, the great pitcher who broke his arm throwing a pitch and after a comeback eventually lost his arm.  Dravecky said that after he lost his arm he went on a trip to the middle east and found Christians who didn't pray for God to takeaway their troubles. Instead they prayed that he would give them the strength to endure.

On my way to the funeral I heard an interview with Chance Anthony, a young man from Breckinridge County, Kentucky who won the high school "Rudy" award for overcoming adversity.  We played them this year and he was incredible.  This young was born with only one full arm and hand.  His right arm stops just below the elbow.  At 5'10" and 160 pounds he bench presses 235 pounds and get this plays wide receiver.  In the first quarter of our game this year he made an amazing diving backhanded catch ... did I mention he has only one hand.  It was incredible to watch his young man get hit and bounce right back up, but it was inspirational to listen to him talk about overcoming adversity!  God must really have faith in him.

My wife and I have lived through the hell that many parents do of having a teenager that is struggling in life and there is nothing yo can do to help.  We pray and things are still a struggle.  Does that mean God has faith in us to be able to deal with it.  It sure doesn't feel that way most of the time.  Many a day I have cried out O.K. God enough is enough.

I want to be able to go through the storm everyday and say "Still I will praise you."  Is God letting me down by not answering my prayer?  Or is He answering by saying "I have faith in you", "You can handle this", "I've got your back", "Just keep going." 

Sometimes I think I am a pretty smart guy and I think I understand what faith and trusting God is all about.  Then like a climber trying to scale Mt.Everest every time I think I have gone as far as I can go, He says, "No we have to make the next summit."  I respond I am so tired of climbing ... could He be saying, "I know, but I also know that you have a little more in you ... let's keep on climbing ... let's keep on reaching."