Facing the Facts with Faith

by Wayne Stiles
http://www.waynestiles.com/facing-the-facts-with-faith/#more-6121

Facing the facts is a hard part of life.

(Photo by alexeys, via Vivozoom)

But think about it: facing the facts isn’t our problem. It’s that we fail to face all of them.

God has facts to factor into our thinking as well.

The World Only Gives Half the Facts

The godly King Hezekiah buckled with fear under the Assyrian threat. It’s no wonder. He had a hard situation:

Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, “Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege?’”—2 Chronicles 32:9-10

What were the facts?

• Assyria has never lost.
• The gods of other nations haven’t saved them.
• Hezekiah’s own city of Lachish would soon fall.

If these facts were all Hezekiah believed, fear would rule him. But he knew facing the facts also included faith.

The Other Half of the Facts 

Hezekiah knew that his greatest weapon (and place of security) was faith in the Lord’s promises.

Hezekiah responded by getting the Prophet Isaiah—and praying with him. (How would you like Isaiah as a prayer partner?)

But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. —2 Chronicles 32:20

Their reaction teaches us a tremendous lesson. When the world besieges you on all sides with hard facts, remember your strength lies in the Lord God—not in the arm of flesh.

Praying God’s promises refocuses your mind on the other half of the facts—the facts that are eternal.

Faith is based on fact, not wishful thinking. We believe what it is true. (Tweet that.)

(Photo by S nova. Own work. CC-BY-SA-3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Facing the Facts with Faith

The world, the devil, and your own sinful nature will always try to discourage you with the facts. But there are more facts they aren’t telling you.

In spite of whatever you’re facing today, this is also true:

• God will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
• God’s provision—or lack thereof—has your good in mind (Deuteronomy 8:3; Philippians 4:19).
• You will not die until it is God’s time for you (Job 14:5; Psalm 139:16).

These are facts too. They just require faith.

Like Hezekiah did, get with someone and pray God’s promises. Affirm what you know to be true—beyond the facts you see to the facts that are unseen.

Faith has more facts behind it than all of today’s bad news. (Tweet that.)

Half the facts force us to trust God. The other half show us we can.

Question: What truths help you face the rest of the facts?