Encouragement to operate on faith

As long as I can remember, my mother validated her life by operating on faith. I was told that if you truly believed with all your heart that God is able, He will keep His promises. I've included some scriptures which remind me of His goodness, His grace and His mercy repeat in my mindset:

• Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen
• 1 John 5:4; Hebrews 11:6 Faith is the victory that overcomes the world and without faith it is impossible to please God
• 1 Corinthians 13:2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

As a newlywed, a mother of one out the womb and one in the womb in a "foreign land" – I walked by faith believing that God was going to walk with me on my new journey. Marriage physically removed me from the South to the East Coast; I was away from my entire family. I found myself in a place where my spouse was appointed as the new pastor. This was not on my bucket list or written in my life's script as to what I wanted to be when I grew up! There was the struggle of unacceptance by my mother-in-law, and later an entire congregation, simply because I was unknown to the community. Rumors of all sorts about the new pastor's wife began to spread like wildfires. Many times, I just wanted to pack up and walk away because of the hurtful words spoken of me, the disbelief of my husband that I was ever hurt over words (and actions) and my need to "kill them with kindness" (something my mother instilled in me). The embarrassment of returning home and giving up was not my persona. If ever I needed God to work a miracle of making life more bearable and bringing joy into my heart, it was then.

I opened the Bible and there were words of comfort to reinforce His love and the assurance that I was not alone. There was no need for me to doubt myself, as long as I kept my eyes on Jesus. I encourage you to never doubt His ability to bring joy even though things may look bleak, or it appears you're going to drown. Remember Peter:

• Matthew 14:29-31 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
• Matthew 17:20 He said to them, "Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you."

Whatever your situation in life may be, if you are hoping and praying for a change in your life – your heart or the heart of others – He will do it. As God reveals a glimmer of light in your favor, do not allow the devil to whisper bitter nothings in your ear. Continue to operate on faith. He will never dangle carrots in your face, or slip the rug from under your feet. We must always walk by faith and not by sight.