By Caro January 19, 2024
Loyalty cards are popular, they allow merchants to keep their customers. When we talk about faithfulness in a couple, we think of a couple who does not have extramarital affairs. But what is God’s faithfulness?
The most cited verse to speak of God’s faithfulness is Lamentations 3:22-23. “The Lord’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness” (NASB). We even sing several hymns to praise God’s faithfulness. To fully appreciate this character trait of God, it is good to return to the definition of the Hebrew word “amown”, translated in several places in the Bible by the word faithfulness. This Hebrew word could also be translated as constancy, the solidity of one’s commitment. It’s the opposite of being unstable and wishy-washy. We can trust God because He does not change, and He does not lie.
We can count on God; He will always be there to provide. Philippians 4:19 (NASB) puts it well: “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” When we experience a lack, we can feel anxiety and anguish settling in our hearts. Under this stress, we fail to see the right solutions, and we may act on impulse, which never pays off (Proverbs 21:5). But when we remember that God has promised that He will provide and that we can trust in His word, we find peace. And sometimes, just by finding peace, we are relaxed enough to find new solutions. Or, by trusting in God, we realize that our need is not so imperative compared to what we find in Him.
We can count on God; He is always working in us. Once again, we find great encouragement in the book of Philippians. “ For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6 NASB). When we remember that God is working on our character, we can forgive ourselves (one less stress!) and also to forgive those who cause us trials. Joseph forgave his brothers because he noticed that his trials had made him stronger. Knowing that we are at the school of the Holy Spirit, we face our challenges with greater confidence, instead of looking at them with fatalism.
We can count on God; He is always with us. He promised to never abandon us (Hebrews 13:5) and to be faithful even when we are not (2 Timothy 2:13). Knowing that God is always with us does not take away our need to meet other people! We are social beings! But it takes away the fear of being alone. It’s the antidote to loneliness. When we remember that God is there, as He promised, we are more peaceful, and we can consider healthier activities or more constructive moments alone. We no longer pursue relationships with a hopeless mindset, we no longer feel victimized by our circumstances. We feel strengthened to know that not only are we not alone, but we have God Himself at our side: what power!
And this reflection should then lead us to introspect. Are we also a faithful person? That is often one of the criteria that a dating couple looks for in the other partner. But how do you know if this person is faithful before marrying them? We can use God’s faithfulness to inspire us. Like God, can those around us count on us? When we commit, we are truly there (Matthew 5:27). Are our words edifying? Can those around us count on us to reassure them, support them, and be constructive (1 Thessalonians 5:11)? Our mission is to make disciples of Christ, and to do this we must be firmly rooted in Him. So let God’s faithfulness grow in us, for our well-being and that of others around us.