Fortify my Faith

Have there been times in your life when you felt like everything was falling apart? And yet you wonder how you're still standing? I believe many of us can relate to that question if we're honest. There are seasons of valleys we journey through to get to the top of the mountain. But deep down, we don't always like (or prefer) the process that comes with the valley. This includes bumps in our way, unanswered prayers, lessons we need to learn, and so much more. 

Now if you're into hiking like me, you'll know that your patience certainly gets tested😆. Wondering how long the hike is supposed to take, and why there are so many loose rocks in the way you need to cross over. You start to feel tired, wanting to give up and turn around. But you have a gut feeling to keep going, not backing down or to quit. We see a similar situation with Moses and the Israelites as he led them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. The Israelites began to complain and even wanted to go back to what God brought them out of. It's really important to keep moving forward even when we don't see what's ahead. Some valleys that we journey through are not as green, things feel bleak, and you're left unsure of how to hold on. I have learned in seasons like this, this is where God fortifies our faith most. I know it's easy to complain and grumble when things don't look the way we hoped. But here's what God wants us to know, That He has not forgotten about you!! The work that He does in your life is so beautiful. And in every valley, God teaches us valuable lessons to take with us into the next season. 

What God teaches us in the valley is just as important as the promise. The valley provides time for pruning, positioning, preparing and patience. How can you expect to handle what God gives you if you're not pruned or positioned? Now, seasons of pruning and positioning aren't easy, and the Lord will definitely prune and position you on every level. This is important because God wants to develop something new in you. He wants our hearts fully, our time, patience, and our character. I encourage you to ask yourself this question: How has the valley changed me and my outlook on life? 

Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." 

In Hebrews 11, it shows us that God doesn't want us to just celebrate Him in the answered prayers, but to celebrate Him for WHO He is. God is good regardless, even before the promise comes. Allow Him to teach you what you need to learn; there’s beauty within the process. We see a list of people in the Bible to whom God made promises to, and in seasons of their own valleys, they developed the faith in who God said He was. Faith fortified them to be able to receive what was promised, and even if the promise didn't come, God is still good. 

Friends, although the valley seems dark and the ground beneath you is unstable. You're still here, you're still standing, and God has not given up on you. Do not give up on the Lord! In order to praise God on the mountain, we have to learn how to praise Him in every valley. It's where our faith is fortified, and that's what shapes us into who God calls us to be. Even in my life personally, I thank Jesus everyday for His protection, how He has prepared me and cares for my needs. Even when I didn't know the outcome, it was in the valley where positioning took place, where my faith was fortified, and where my soul fully relied on Him when no one was around. The valley taught me that Jesus is all I need. He is my only source of hope, strength, and guidance. I thank God for the valley and that the weapons formed will not prosper! (Isaiah 54:17).

I pray that you will allow God to fortify your faith. Even if it seems that all odds are stacked against you, we serve a God who stands and who truly knows every detail of your life. People may misunderstand you, but we serve a God who understands. Don't let people count you out! Keep going because God will truly provide and lead you! 😄

~ Noelle