God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:9
There has never been a single moment in all of history where God has not been faithful. You may be thinking, But what about the times in my life when I can’t see God’s hand at work? Where is God in my suffering and sorrow? What about the prayers he doesn’t seem to be answering?
I’ve wrestled with these questions too, trying to understand the connection between what I think life should look like and the disheveled reality before me. It’s easy for us to focus on the problems and questions we are unable to resolve instead of on God himself. When this happens, a fog of doubt descends on our perspective, making it almost impossible to see God at work.
But when we open the pages of Scripture, we see his faithfulness written on every page.
Seeing God’s Faithfulness in the Bible
All sixty-six books of the Bible make up one big story showcasing God’s faithfulness. As we pore over the life-giving Word of God, the Holy Spirit blows the fog of doubt away, enabling us to see his providence in every story, every verse (see Luke 24:27; John 16:13).
In the books of the Law, God’s faithfulness is displayed as he created the world and called it good (see Genesis 1:1-31) and in his promise to send a Savior to redeem his people (see Genesis 3:15) and make his people into a mighty nation (see Genesis 12):1-3. When the Israelites were in slavery in Egypt, his mighty hand delivered them out of bondage into freedom (see Exodus 2:24-25). After the building of the Tabernacle, God faithfully provided the sacrificial system to cleanse people from their sins and ultimately point them to Jesus (see Leviticus 1–10).
In the historical narratives, God faithfully led his people to the Promised Land and gave them victory over their enemies (see Joshua 1–5; 11:8-18). When the people asked for a king, God continued to be gracious, anointing a shepherd boy to rule over them. It was through King David’s offspring that the promised Savior would one day be born (see 2 Samuel 7:16; Matthew 1:1).
In the Wisdom books, God faithfully supplied his people with words to pray, songs to sing, timeless wisdom to live by, and hope to hold on to in the midst of suffering (see Psalm 96; Proverbs 9:10; Psalm 42:11).
In the Prophets, God did not allow the idolatry of his people and the ruin of their souls to go unchecked. Rather, he faithfully sent messengers to declare his Word and to call his people to repent and to worship him alone (see Isaiah 30:15; Hosea 14:1-2). The prophets reminded people of God’s faithfulness to provide justice for the oppressed and announced the coming of the Savior (see Isaiah 1:17; Micah 5:1-4).
In the Gospels, God sent his Son, Jesus Christ, as the promised Messiah (see Matthew 1). He lived the life we could not live, died the death we deserved to die, and was raised to life so we can have salvation by grace through faith (see Matthew 27–28).
In the Epistles, God worked in the church, the body of Christ, and faithfully changed his people into his likeness day by day (see 1 Corinthians 12:12-31; 2 Corinthians 3:18). God promises to finish the work he began in us and gives us guidance about how to treasure and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ (see Philippians 1:6-7).
In Revelation, God promised strength to endure persecution as we wait for Jesus to come again (see Revelation 2:10-11). His Word provides us with glimpses of the hope of our eternal home, where we will dwell with him forever (see Revelation 14:12; 21–22).
How Scripture Builds Our Trust in God
You are not exempt from the faithfulness of God, sister. Soak your soul in every verse of Scripture. Remember his tried-and-true promises (see 2 Corinthians 1:20). See his faithfulness to generations past, and build your life on the firm foundation of the gospel. Just as God was faithful to the patriarchs, the prophets, the Israelites fleeing Egypt, the disciples, and the early church, he will be faithful to you. The God who was, who is, and who is to come is always faithful—even in your life, even now.
Word before World: God’s faithfulness is woven throughout every page of Scripture, and it is woven throughout your life story too.
Grow in Grace: When are you most prone to doubt God’s faithfulness? The next time you find yourself doubting his character, pay attention to his activity in the pages of Scripture. Praise him for being faithful to his people, even when we are faithless (see 2 Timothy 2:13).
Adapted from Word before World: 100 Devotions to Put Jesus First by Gretchen Saffles. Copyright © 2024. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.
Gretchen Saffles is the founder of Well-Watered Women, an online ministry that reaches women worldwide with the hope of the gospel. She has written several Bible studies and is the creator of the Give Me Jesus journal, a tool to help women study Scripture daily. On any given day you can find her with a cup of coffee in hand, a message stirring in her soul, and a God-sized dream on her heart. Gretchen lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Greg, and three children, Nolan, Haddon, and Emelyn.
