Reading Time: 4 minutesEditor’s note: The following two articles were written as class assignments given by Martha Rohrbaugh to her English students at Spring Vale Christian School for this issue. Find more student submissions on the faithfulness of God in Online Exclusives.
The Faithfulness of God by Nathaniel Fedoriw
Author David Jeremiah said, “God is faithful, and that trumps all our problems, tragedies, and the very prospect of death itself.”
What is faithfulness? According to the dictionary, it is remaining loyal and steadfast. I remember times when I was unfaithful to God. I had sinned like the rest of the world, and my guilt was great. My logic was, if I’m not faithful to God, then He won’t be faithful to me. I was wrong in my thinking, especially considering Paul’s words: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful” (2 Timothy 2:13).
Typically, if we do something wrong to a friend or let them down, our friend will do the same. When we hate someone, almost always that person will hate us back. However, it is different with God. Hundreds of millions of people don’t even believe in God, but God remains faithful to them.
“But I say to you, love your enemies . . . that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44, 45).
God is going to be faithful to us no matter what. This kind of love is unheard of. Imagine if we were like that. Imagine if we could love the people who hate us and bless those who curse us. Imagine if we could lay down our lives for our enemy. That is exactly what Christ did for us. He loved the ones who hated Him. He prayed for those who cursed Him, and He laid down His life even for those who didn’t acknowledge Him. How incredible! Jesus is the perfect representation of faithfulness for us.
Evangelist David Wilkerson said, “Our faith is not meant to get us out of a hard place or change our painful condition. Rather, it is meant to reveal God’s faithfulness to us in the midst of our dire situation.”
Our faithfulness to God may not ever benefit us here on earth. It may actually hurt us. But we do not live for ourselves; we live to serve Him. This life is only a dot compared to the life we will enjoy in the kingdom. Life hurts sometimes, and friends disappoint. But through all of our trials and temptations, He remains true to us.
Nathaniel Fedoriw is sixteen and the son of Steve and Anita Fedoriw. He writes from Owosso, MI.
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The Faithfulness of God by Kassidy Hinds
In a world filled with evil and uncertainty, how can we know God remains faithful? It may seem as though, if anything, He has been unfaithful in His promises to keep us safe, love us, and provide for us. However, we can find evidence all around us that declares God’s faithfulness even in the most troublesome times.
The hot topic of this entire past year: COVID-19. Where do I even begin? Church has been canceled. I can’t hang out with my friends. I’m stuck at home. School looks different, and sports don’t exist anymore. When I think about this situation, all I can see is the damage that it’s brought to all of our lives. This leads us to the question we all ask: “Is God faithful?” Would you take a minute to see things from a different point of view with me?
Instead of church being canceled, maybe we can consider that congregating in every home helps us remember that the church isn’t just the building; it’s the people inside it. Not being able to hang out with friends could turn into more time to spend with our family. Being stuck at home could allow us the chance to rebuild or strengthen our relationship with Christ by giving Him more of our free time.
The list continues with things we see as negative results from COVID-19, causing us to lose sight of God’s faithfulness. But if we change our perspective, we may find that these negative things can impact us positively.
Romans 3:3, 4 says, “What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar” (ESV). Even if we choose to remain unfaithful and deny God’s goodness in our lives, it doesn’t mean God stops working. We may not believe it, but the truth is God is faithful to His people. We just have to accept that it may look different from what we think “faithful” should look like.
The song “Way Maker,” performed by Leeland, says that even when we can’t see what God is doing, He is working on our behalf. It has been a great encouragement for me during this time. How great a promise to declare! It doesn’t matter if we can feel it or see it; God is working! He has been faithful, and He will remain faithful.
As difficult as it is at times, we have to cling to this promise. God has never been unfaithful toward His people. Often our mindset needs to change, to realize God is good and loves us. He is working everything for our good. He is in control and is faithful even in our trials and tribulations.
Kassidy Hinds is fifteen and the daughter of Tim and Lisa Hinds. She writes from Owosso, MI.
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