Foul-weather Faith

November 18, 2008 (17th at home)

When we pray for unsaved loved ones, we often say to God, “Whatever it takes. . .” not knowing what God might do to get their attention or cause them to think of spiritual things and their need for eternal life.

Psalm 107 offers four suggestions in verses 5, 12, 18, and 27 where people experienced trials and turned to God. The trials are as follows.

Wandering and homeless: “Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble.”

In bondage: “Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble.”

Physically afflicted: “Their soul abhorred all manner of food, and they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble.”

In financial and physical turmoil: “They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble.”

The first problem with this list is how could I ask God to do or allow these things in someone’s life, never mind the problem of how can a compassionate and loving God even make the suggestion that I pray this way? I know God can use calamities for His purposes, but how do I know when that is my option in prayer? Scripture speaks much of His mercy and grace. I would rather pray for that than for disaster.

However, this list has a qualifier. The beginning verses of this psalm say, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, and gathered out of the lands. . .” This list is not about unsaved people that God brought to their knees by difficult circumstances. It is about God’s people who already know and trust Him for spiritual redemption but for some reason are rebellious and resisting Him.

It is also about me when I take off in my own direction and forget the Lord and His claim on my life. It is about me when I do my own thing, when I neglect my spiritual responsibilities, when I don’t listen to Him.

The issue for an unsaved person is not to ask God to bring them low so they will rely on Him to get them out of trouble. The issue first and foremost is their sin. Unless a person is convicted of sin and turns to God for redemption from the penalty and power of sin they will not turn on Him for anything else, at least not for long.

Sometimes bad things happen resulting in a ‘temporary’ faith, but this kind of faith disappears when the troubles go away. God wants ‘saving’ faith, a faith that knows He is the Redeemer and that He has forgiven my sin, all of it. This faith is not based on what I do but on what Christ has done. I may act like a jerk, but I know that my sin is covered by the blood of Christ and I have a relationship with Him because Jesus lives in my heart. I may resist and not listen and He may use calamities to chasten me, but the relationship is not based on how I act but on what He has done.

That being said, I guess that these verses cannot be totally eliminated as ways He could answer our prayers for unsaved loved ones. He could use disasters that make them feel helpless, needy, and more apt to listen to Him, but unless that results in conviction of sin and redemption, it is just another case of a foul-weather faith that goes away as soon as the sun starts to shine.