Faith: When God Say No... When God Doesn't Say

"And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you...

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

(Luke 17:6, Romans 10:17 NAS95S)

Observation:  Faith is the fruit of humble obedience.  Faith is unassuming.  It doesn't look for reward; It looks to it's Lord and Master Jesus Christ.  Faith says:  

"I am an unworthy slave; I have done only that which I ought to have done.'"  (Luke 17:10).

Saving faith understand that Jesus is Savior and Lord.  It understands that change and the impossible happen because of His word; because He is the Word of Flesh, the one with the power to change all circumstances and difficulties.  This Saving/Life Transforming Faith is not so concerned about the miracle as about the deeper intimacy with Christ, the deeper trust in His power that is the ultimate outcome of all miracles.  Saving Faith longs for the faith to believe and trust even when the miracle doesn't come.  Saving Faith understands that this is a miracle as well.  The following story from Morris Vendon serves as a powerful illustration of this truth:

Faith enough NOT to be healed

September 15, 2000 - 9:30am - Morris Venden

Some people don't have enough faith to not be healed so all God can do is heal them!

I have tried to say it better, but I don't know how to say it better because I want to shock you into attention on a major point. A major point that has escaped us.

We have thought for a long time that if we have enough faith, we can be healed. No. No. If we have enough faith, we may NOT be healed! It takes a lot of faith to not be healed.

Some of us grew up with some gross misunderstandings. We listened to bedtime stories and got the impression that if you are good, everything is going to go good, and if you are bad, everything is going to go bad. But like the teenagers would say: NOT!!!

We forget that all of the disciples, except one, died martyrs' deaths, and that one was banished to a lonely island. We forget that the Apostle Paul, who wrote 14 books of the New Testament, was refused his request for healing, and that God finally told him not to pray about it anymore. We forget that John the Baptist perished alone in a dungeon, and people have wondered about that one. John the Baptist!--about whom Jesus declared, "there was never one born greater." And Elisha, who received a double portion of Elijah's spirit, did not go to heaven in two chariots. He died after a long, lingering illness, maybe cancer.

We forget the last few verses of Hebrews 11. After a list of miraculous events, the account changes. "and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy; they wandered in deserts, and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise. (Hebrews 11:35b-39).

Notice, these mighty giants of faith received NOT the promise. What was going on? Is there something we have missed?

I would like to remind you of a significant "honor guard" that is important in God's system.

Peter says it best of all. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trials,...as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice, in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings that, when his glory may be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."  1 Peter 4:12,13

People can prove that they are not "rice Christians," that they do not serve God because of what they can get out of Him. They serve Him regardless of what happens. And this is what real faith is all about.

As we look at the Bible record, and the history of godly people through the ages, we do not find God intervening to overrule the bumps and bruises of life. He walks with us, He stays with us, but in most cases he does not work miracles to change the situation.

We have failed to look at this as we should, and that is why today we need to take a long look at a statement in The Desire of Ages about John the Baptist. "Not Enoch who was translated to heaven, not Elijah, who ascended in a chariot of fire, was greater or more honored than John the Baptist, who perished alone in the dungeon. "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." Philippians 1:29. And of all the gifts that Heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest honor" (Desire of Ages 224-225).

It is not God's will that people suffer. But it is God's will to have an honor guard who will continue to love Him and trust Him, regardless. In fact, in most cases he needs them to endure and does not usually intervene with miracles. This is my major premise. It takes a lot of faith to not be healed. It takes a lot of faith to not be delivered, to not have your prayers answered the way you would like.

Let me share with you a story. It happened last year near Seattle.

Travis Allen was diagnosed with leukemia ten months before Thanksgiving. They did the usual, but there was little hope. His classmates at Auburn Adventist Academy began praying for healing. Area churches prayed. Travis was anointed. But nothing changed.

Travis became concerned about his eternal destiny. Our son, Lee, who is the pastor at the Academy church shared, with Travis the good news that our eternal destiny is based not on our behavior but on what Jesus has done and our continuing acceptance of him. Travis thrilled to this good news and stopped looking at himself. He looked to Jesus instead and rejoiced. But his health continued to decline.

Our grandson, Chris, was best friends with Travis. On one of his visits, Travis said to him, "Chris, we've been best friends ever since fifth grade. I want you to promise me something. Promise that you'll meet me in heaven, because I want to hang out with you up there." A stronger "call" than Chris's grandpa ever gave! Chris promised.

Several weeks later while visiting Travis, Lee asked him, "Have your thoughts changed much since you've been sick?"

"Yes." Travis answered. "I used to think it was most important to have fun, to get things and to be cool. Now I'm convinced there is only one thing that is important--to know Jesus."

However, in spite of having peace about his eternal destiny, he would still sometimes awaken his mother at night, overcome with fear. "Mom, I am scared, I don't want to die at 18."

More than once she said to him, "Son, if you go to sleep, you will wake up right away and look into Jesus' face. Can you visualize that? Just think about that moment, when you look into His face and He looks into your face."

"OK Mom, I feel better."

Another thing happened as time passed. Travis would wake up at night wondering "Why me?" It was like a voice pushing him toward discouragement and darkness. One night the Holy Spirit got through to Him with another perspective. Travis found himself thinking, "If God needs someone to go through an experience like this and still trust Him, why not me?" From then on, whenever the big "Why me?" question would come up in his mind, he would counter with "Why not me?"

One day, very late in the illness, Travis said to Lee, "Pastor, I'd like to be anointed again." Lee froze. They'd done this already and nothing had changed. What was the use of doing it again? But Travis continued, "No, no, I don't want another anointing to be healed. I'd like another anointing service to celebrate the peace that God has given me."

Scheduling the service was tricky because by now Travis was having times of great pain and unconsciousness. On the appointed day, two hundred friends were at the church praying while Travis's parents, Lee and the academy Bible teacher went to the hospital for the anointing.

Travis was in a coma, but when they began to pray, he sat up, his mind perfectly clear. As they prayed he put his hand on his father's neck and Lee's neck and rejoiced over the peace and even joy that God had given him.

Five doctors came by to share with him what the remaining options were. None were any good. He said, "Don't do anything special. I am going to go to sleep, but I'm going to wake up right away, and I'm going to see Jesus."

One of the doctors said, "I'm glad that concept brings you comfort."

Travis answered, "Doctor, it's not just a concept, it's in your Bible." An oncology social worker came by to help the family face the inevitable. The doctor told her, "You're not needed here." I kind of like that part. There were stronger forces at work.

Some began praying that as Travis approached the end, God would do something special, would give him a moment of comfort. Sort of like Stephen looking up and seeing Jesus standing up on His behalf (Acts 7:56).

Not long before Thanksgiving, Travis was able to leave the hospital for several days. On Sunday Chris, with Travis in a wheelchair, did the mall!

Monday morning Travis woke up and said, "I'm not doing good, Dad. You'd better get me back to the hospital." They put him in the car and started for the hospital. They didn't know that he was bleeding to death internally. This process made him feel like he had to stop at a restroom. They stopped at Denny's, and his parents helped him walk in.

The receptionist asked if they wanted a table, then, "Are you OK?" She showed them to the restroom. It had two stalls; both doors were open; nobody was in there. Travis' mother stayed outside the door while his father took Travis into the handicapped stall. While Tom was trying to help his son he noticed under the partition, dress shoes and the trousers of a dark blue suit. It sort of irritated him because he'd have preferred to be alone with his sick son.

Travis said, "I am not doing good, I can hardly breathe."

Right then a voice came from the other side of the partition, calling him by name. "Travis, it's all right. You're going to be OK."

Travis said, "Dad you'd better call 911, I can't breathe." His mother came in, trying to help him. Again, the voice came from the other stall, "Travis, it's all right. I am here. You're going to be OK."

The paramedics arrived within minutes and placed him on a stretcher. At this point the stranger came out of the other stall, went to the head of the stretcher and looked into Travis' face. Travis, who had been looking at his mother, was suddenly riveted on the face of the stranger. The paramedics asked, "Are you his father?"

"No, I am his friend." He continued to lean over Travis, reassuring him as they wheeled him out. When they got to the ambulance, Travis was unconscious, and then the stranger was gone.

(When they compared notes later, none of them--parents nor paramedics--had seen the stranger's face. They went and asked the receptionist if she had seen someone in a dark blue silk suit. The receptionist replied, "People in silk suits don't come into Denny's.")

Travis died in his mother's arms in the hospital at 10 o'clock that morning.

Travis had asked that they have the service on a Friday and he wanted it to end at sundown. The church was packed. There were classmates from other years, some from Walla Walla College and even from Southern College in Tennessee. Thirty-four doctors and nurses came from Children's Hospital. Travis classmates, the Auburn Academy seniors, came down the aisle and filled the choir loft, leaving one chair in the center vacant with a rose on it.

The pastor, who had taken notes for months, tried to share with the people what Travis had said in answer to his questions, including how his thinking had changed. Through Lee, Travis delivered a message to his friends: "I want to see you all in heaven, and if any of you are not there, I am really going to be bummed."

They had hoped and prayed for a revival on campus. They did not know it would come that way. There has been a revival on the campus, because someone had enough faith to not be healed.

"There is a peace that cometh after sorrow, 

Of hope surrendered, not hope fulfilled, 

Peace that looks not on tomorrow But calmly on the tempest that is not stilled. 

In unfailing strength the heart possesses, 

While learning to endure. A life subdued, 

From will and passion free, 

Is not the peace that over Eden brooded, 

But that which triumphed in Gethsemane. 

Thy will be done." 

Thy will be done is the truth that triumphed in Gethsemane.  Is there pain or hurt in your life that seems to say that God doesn't like you? Have people around you, good people, suggested that if only you had more faith, if only you were more obedient, then you wouldn't have this trouble? You would not be sick any longer? Have you wondered if God has abandoned you?

Listen, neighbor, Jesus is looking for an honor guard of Christians who will trust him regardless. Your hurt and pain are not a sign of God's disapproval or neglect. Just maybe they are evidence of God's confidence that you have faith enough not to be healed. God has a special place for you in his kingdom.

No matter who you are, whether life for you is tranquil or hard, God wants to hang out with you in heaven, to use Travis's words. If you're not there, he will be really bummed. Won't you join Travis and make knowing Jesus your No. 1 priority? It's the only thing that really matters.

Application:  I really don't spend a lot of time thinking about:  Do I have enough faith or if I only had more faith?  The question feels too self-centered.  And it only makes me feel depressed.  Cause I start thinking about all the things I have prayed for that haven't happened in my life.  And I think, it's because I didn't have enough faith.

But do I have the faith to believe that God has answered when the answer is no?  Do have the trust to be at peace when my Savior is silent?  Am I willing to accept that silence is simply His desire to be with me; not to correct me, not to talk, but just to be together as too people are together in silence because they are at peace with each other; they are simply content with each others presence?  Could it be that when God is silent, that sometimes all this means is that He is simply content to be in my presence and that He is teaching me to simply be content to be in His presence?  To trust that He is here, even when I can't hear Him?  To trust that He is ministering to my soul even when He isn't speaking?  These thoughts make me think of the story of Elijah:  

He said, "Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by." Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, "What are you doing here, Elijah?""  (1Kings 19:10-13 NRSV)

Prayer:  O Lord Jesus, give me the faith that is found in silence.  Let my heart be still and know that You are God.  Yes, when all is quiet, when Your voice is hushed, let me still hear Your presence in my life.  As my body feels my wife lying next to me, even when she isn't touching me, let me feel the heat of Your love and the intimacy of You even though You are invisible; even when You're not speaking to my heart.  In the sheer silence, may I find sheer trust.  May the mustard seed of faith take root in silent moments before Your throne of grace; when nothing is said, but when Your presence speaks louder than words.