Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Foreign.
Hello, you are welcome to my podcast Wisdom Seeds. I am Pastor Steve Olofa. Stay blessed as you listen to this episode.
[00:00:32] Speaker B: 1.
[00:00:32] Speaker C: Difficult times test your faith James 1, 24 says, consider it pure joy. My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
[00:00:45] Speaker B: James does not say that trials are enjoyable.
[00:00:48] Speaker C: He does not tell us to pretend that pain does not hurt.
He tells us to recognize what God can produce through difficult circumstances.
[00:00:57] Speaker B: A trial can test your faith.
A disappointment can test your faith.
A delay can test your faith.
An unanswered prayer can test your faith.
[00:01:08] Speaker C: But a tested faith can become a stronger faith.
[00:01:12] Speaker B: Think about a muscle.
[00:01:14] Speaker C: A muscle becomes stronger when it is exercised and challenged in a similar way. Faith often grows when we are forced to trust God beyond what we can see.
You may not enjoy the trial, but God can use the trial.
You may not understand the situation, but God can still be working.
[00:01:32] Speaker B: You may not see the answer, but God has not stopped being faithful.
Two. Your faith must be built on God's character.
[00:01:43] Speaker C: One of the reasons our faith becomes weak is that we base our confidence in God on our circumstances.
[00:01:49] Speaker B: When life is good, we believe God is good.
[00:01:52] Speaker C: When life becomes difficult, we begin to question his goodness.
1:8 But God's character does not change
[00:01:58] Speaker B: when your circumstances change.
[00:02:01] Speaker C: Malachi 3, 6 says I the Lord do not change.
[00:02:05] Speaker B: God is still faithful when you are waiting.
God is still good when you are hurting.
God is still present when you feel alone.
God is still wise when you do not understand his plan.
[00:02:17] Speaker C: Your situation may change.
[00:02:20] Speaker B: Your emotions may change, your finances may
[00:02:23] Speaker C: change, people may change, but God does not change.
That is why your faith must be built on who God is rather than on what is happening around you.
3. Trust God when you do not understand Proverbs 3, 5:6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, submit to him and he will make your paths straight.
Notice the Bible does not say trust God only when you understand.
[00:02:55] Speaker B: It says, lean not on your own understanding.
There will be times when you do not understand what God is doing.
You may ask, why did this happen?
Why did that opportunity disappear February 8th? Why did God allow this relationship to end?
Why did the answer not come?
Why am I still waiting?
These are honest questions.
But sometimes God gives us understanding later.
Sometimes we may never understand everything in this life.
Faith means trusting God's wisdom. Even when your understanding is limited, you see one part of the story.
God sees the entire story.
You see today God sees yesterday, today and tomorrow.
[00:03:42] Speaker C: You see the problem.
God sees the purpose.
4. Build your faith through God's word Romans 10:17 says, Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ.
If you want stronger faith, you need to regularly fill your heart and mind with God's Word.
[00:04:05] Speaker B: When difficult circumstances speak fear.
[00:04:07] Speaker C: Scripture speaks truth.
When your emotions say you are alone, God's Word says, I will never leave you nor forsake you.
When fear says, you cannot survive this, God's Word says, do not fear, for I am with you.
When anxiety says everything is going to fall apart, God's Word reminds you that God is your refuge and strength.
Your faith grows when you repeatedly expose your mind to God's truth.
March 8 this is why you cannot build a strong faith while constantly feeding fear.
[00:04:37] Speaker B: Be careful about what you listen to all day.
[00:04:40] Speaker C: Be careful about what you watch.
Be careful about the voices that shape your thinking.
The voice you listen to most will often influence the way you respond to life.
[00:04:51] Speaker B: If you constantly listen to fear, fear will grow.
If you constantly listen to doubt, doubt will grow.
[00:04:58] Speaker C: But when you continually fill your heart with God's Word, your faith begins to grow.
Five Pray honestly during difficult times.
Some Christians believe they must hide their emotions from God.
[00:05:14] Speaker B: They think they must always pray, Lord, everything is wonderful.
[00:05:18] Speaker C: But the Bible contains honest prayers.
[00:05:21] Speaker B: David asked, how long, Lord, will you forget me forever?
Job expressed deep pain.
Jeremiah experienced discouragement.
Even Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus.
[00:05:36] Speaker C: You do not have to pretend before God.
Tell him when you are afraid, tell
[00:05:41] Speaker B: him when you are confused.
[00:05:43] Speaker C: Tell him when you are tired, Tell
[00:05:46] Speaker B: him when you are disappointed.
[00:05:48] Speaker C: Tell him when you do not understand.
[00:05:51] Speaker B: God already knows what is in your heart.
Honest prayer does not destroy faith.
[00:05:57] Speaker C: For of eight Sometimes honest prayer is where deeper faith begins.
[00:06:01] Speaker B: You can say, lord, I do not understand what is happening, but I choose to trust you.
[00:06:07] Speaker C: That is faith.
[00:06:09] Speaker B: You can say, lord, I am afraid, but I believe you are with me.
[00:06:13] Speaker C: That is faith.
You can say, lord, I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I know you hold tomorrow.
That is faith.
[00:06:25] Speaker B: Six. Remember God's faithfulness.
[00:06:28] Speaker C: When you are going through a difficult season, your current problem can become so large that you forget everything God has already done.
[00:06:35] Speaker B: This is why you need to remember.
[00:06:38] Speaker C: Remember the prayers God has answered.
[00:06:41] Speaker B: Remember the doors he opened.
Remember the times he protected you.
Remember the strength he gave you.
Remember the times you thought you would not survive but God brought you through.
[00:06:54] Speaker C: Psalm 103:2 says, Praise the Lord, my soul and forget not all his benefits.
[00:07:00] Speaker B: Memory can strengthen faith.
[00:07:02] Speaker C: When you remember God's faithfulness in the past, you gain courage to trust him with the future.
The same God who helped you before has not changed.
[00:07:11] Speaker B: May 8.
[00:07:16] Speaker C: 7 Do not confuse delay with denial.
[00:07:20] Speaker B: One of the hardest things about faith is waiting.
[00:07:23] Speaker C: You pray, you believe, you hope.
But time passes.
[00:07:30] Speaker B: Nothing seems to happen.
[00:07:32] Speaker C: You begin to wonder whether God has heard you.
[00:07:36] Speaker B: But God's delay does not necessarily mean God's denial.
Abraham waited for God's promise.
Joseph waited in prison.
David waited before becoming king.
[00:07:48] Speaker C: The Israelites waited for deliverance.
[00:07:51] Speaker B: Waiting is not always wasted time.
Sometimes God is working in you before
[00:07:56] Speaker C: he works through you.
[00:07:58] Speaker B: Sometimes he is preparing you for what you are praying for.
Sometimes he is protecting you from something you cannot see.
Sometimes he is teaching you to trust him rather than the answer.
[00:08:09] Speaker C: Do not give up simply because the answer has not arrived yet.
[00:08:13] Speaker B: God's timing is not the same as your timing.
8 Keep obeying God.
Faith is not only believing what God can do.
Faith is also obeying God when you cannot see the result.
Noah built an ark before the rain came.
Abraham left his homeland without knowing every detail of the journey.
[00:08:36] Speaker C: Peter stepped out of the boat before he knew what would happen.
[00:08:40] Speaker B: June 8 Faith often requires obedience before understanding.
You may not know everything God is doing, but you can obey what he has already revealed.
[00:08:51] Speaker C: Forgive, pray, love, give, serve.
[00:08:58] Speaker B: Remain faithful.
Walk in holiness.
Keep doing what God has called you to do.
[00:09:05] Speaker C: Your circumstances may change, but your obedience should not depend entirely on your circumstances.
9 Surround yourself with people who strengthen your faith.
[00:09:18] Speaker B: Difficult seasons become even more difficult when you try to face everything alone.
[00:09:24] Speaker C: God created us for fellowship.
[00:09:26] Speaker B: You need people who will pray with you.
You need people who will encourage you.
You need people who will remind you of God's promises when you are struggling to remember them yourself.
[00:09:38] Speaker C: Proverbs 27:17 says, as iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
Be careful about surrounding yourself only with people who increase your fear, bitterness and doubt.
[00:09:50] Speaker B: Choose relationships that help you grow closer to God.
[00:09:53] Speaker C: Sometimes one encouraging conversation with a mature believer can give you the strength to keep going.
July 8th August 8th.
