Mark 16 - faith and believing

"...they did not believe." (Mark 16:11)
"... but they did not believe them either." (Mark 16:13)

Sometimes it is really difficult to believe in something which you have not seen... Mary Magdalene and the two disciples had seen Lord Jesus, of course it is easier for them to believe! Unless one sees or experiences it for himself/herself, it takes some courage to believe... But that is faith, isn't it?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

I feel that English Standard Version (ESV) says it much better.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Jesus Himself also said to doubting Thomas, remember?

"Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

Sometimes it is really very difficult to believe that Jesus has a plan for what lies ahead of me. Because what is in the future is unseen, and not known, it really takes courage to go on. Do we then have the faith?

"...the assurance of things hoped for.."
What are we hoping for? If what we are praying and hoping for is in line with what God desires, do we have that assurance that surely the Father will not withhold good gifts from His children? Surely what He has in mind for us is good.... but it requires us to wait for the right time.

I have been thinking about the case of Israel's first king. They insisted on having a king to rule over them and we know that God gave in to them and gave them Saul. But because this was not according to God's will, it did not turn out well. And the irony is that God did want to give them a king. It's just that the time was not right yet... If Israel have had the patience and the faith to wait on God's time, history would have to be rewritten.

I am really worried that I have been insisting on "having a king" in my life. And I am even more worried that if I continue to insist on it, God may really just give it to me. But who knows how it might turn out..

Waiting requires courage.... because we really do not know what might happen in the future. But that is faith, in our Lord Jesus.

"...the conviction of things not seen."
When we cannot see the future, or what is ahead... do we still have that conviction that Jesus is leading the way and that those who seek Him will lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10)?

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

I need to be more assured and more convicted than how I am at the moment.

"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24)