BUILT ON WHAT?

"In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

— John 16:33

Many Christians today seem to struggle with misplaced expectations of faith. Maybe they were sold a "bill of goods" when an evangelist, pastor, or preacher told them to "Ask Jesus into your heart," leaving them with the misguided notion the rest of their lives would come up roses as they rode off into the sunset. Many Christians today seem to expect life to be affirming rather than refining, smooth rather than sanctifying, and fulfilling rather than faithful. When those expectations aren’t met—when suffering comes, when hypocrisy is exposed, and when prayers seem to go unanswered—they spiral into a "crisis of faith." In light of Romans 8:37-39, the only thing that can possibly separate us from the love of God is self-worship.

But let’s be brutally honest: What possible grounds could anyone have for a legit "crisis of faith"?

• Christ warned us that suffering would come (John 16:33).

• Christ warned us that wolves would infiltrate the flock (Matthew 7:15).

• Paul warned us that false teachers would masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Cor 11:13-15).

• All the first apostles (except John) are believed to have been martyred in violent and horrific ways—and through it all they never recanted... instead, they rejoiced when they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s name (Acts 5:41).

• Read through the list of trials the Apostle Paul went through (2 Cor 11:16-33), and his attitude regarding them (2 Cor 4:17)

If our "faith" crumbles because we encounter difficulty or challenging situations, perhaps what we had wasn’t God-given faith at all—but an entitled expectation that Christ never promised.

At its core, a crisis of faith typically exposes an underlying sense of entitlement. We might not say it out loud, or even be aware of it, but deep down, it demonstrates a belief that:

• God owes me a life free from deep or "unwarranted" suffering.

• God owes me clear, timely, and satisfactory answers to my prayers.

• God owes me a church community that meets my expectations and standards.

• God owes me a faith experience that makes me feel safe and secure at all times.

The truth is, God owes us nothing. In fact, if we were to receive what we are truly owed, the wages of sin, it would be eternal judgment as permanent separation from God (Romans 6:23). The very fact that we have God's Word, grace, forgiveness, and eternal life in Christ should overwhelm us—not lead us to doubt or demand more.

Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. I will still defend my ways to His face. — Job 13:15

Yet entitlement has crept into modern Christianity, often masquerading as legitimate expectations or expressions of faith. The deconstruction of faith is even lauded as healthy and beneficial today, but that doesn't jive with Scripture in the least. Instead of seeing sufferings as opportunities for sanctification, many often see it as unfair treatment. Instead of seeing "unanswered" prayers as an invitation to deeper dependence, many see them as God’s neglect or inability. Rather than viewing trials as a testing and refining of our faith (James 1:2-4), many see them as reasons to doubt God’s goodness... or existence. When faith is exposed and having been built on entitlement rather than trust, its collapse is inevitable. What a blessing!

One of the greatest causes of disillusionment is the belief that God doesn’t answer prayer. But have we forgotten what prayer actually is? The Greek word for "prayer" (προσεύχομαι, proseuchomai) literally means "to exchange wishes." It is not about God granting our desires—it is about us surrendering our desires to His will because we've been crucified with Christ and no longer live. If that's true... how can a crisis of faith exist? How could prayers ever be "unanswered" unless of the selfish variety?

• "You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." (James 4:3)

• "Not my will, but Yours be done." (Luke 22:42)

If we truly believe in God’s sovereignty, we'll have full confidence that no legit prayer goes unanswered. The only kind that go unheard and unanswered are explained by Proverbs 28:9. Every prayer offered up in faith is heard and responded to—either with a "Yes," a "No," or a "Wait." But the entitled heart often sees "No" and "Wait" as divine negligence rather than divine wisdom.

What if "unanswered prayers" are actually God’s greatest blessings in disguise? What if, instead of questioning God’s love when we don’t get what we want when or how we want it... or when we get what we don't want (sufferings, trials, afflictions, heartache, etc.)... we see it as an opportunity to exercise our faith, trusting His wisdom and surrendering our wishes to His divine, perfect, and sufficient will?

If we experience a crisis of faith, it should not cause us to doubt Christ—it should cause us to doubt ourselves. Is that faith truly built on The Rock of Christ or upon our expectations, traditions, and entitlements?

• Do we worship God for who He is or for what He gives?

• Do we serve Him in total surrender despite circumstances and outcomes or out of performance based entitlement?

"Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it?

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?

Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins?

Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!"

— Lamentations 3:37-40

King Jesus gave a sobering warning about the tragedy of the entitlement mindset in Matthew 7:26-27:

"Everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

If our "faith" crumbles in difficulty, perhaps what we have is a house built on shifting sand rather than upon The Rock. If that's the case, then collapse is the grace of God, tearing down the delusions of self-righteousness and false security so He can establish a God-given faith that is unshakable, unbreakable, and immovable! Isn't that what we truly want?

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

— 2 Corinthians 13:5

If the testing of our faith exposes it as counterfeit, then that revelation is reason for rejoicing and thanksgiving (ευχαριστέω). Why? Because God loves us too much to let us live in self-deception. He does not expose false faith to shame or disqualify us but as a calling to accept the gift of genuine faith in Christ—a faith that does not waver, does not fail, and will never be put to shame (Romans 10:11).

If you find yourself in a "crisis of faith," it's a divine opportunity to run to Christ—not from Him.

• Don't withdraw from church fellowship—press deeper into it (Heb 20:25).

• Don't let suffering lead you to doubt—let it lead you to desperate dependency (John 15:4-5).

• Do not let unanswered prayers foster or exacerbate entitlement—let them produce endurance (James 1:2-4).

"He must increase, but I must decrease." — John 3:30

Read Ephesians 1:3-12. Faith is not about what we get—it's about who we trust. When Christ is our firm foundation, our faith can never crumble. In the end, the real question is not "Why is God allowing this?" but "Will I trust Him still?" As Louisa M. R. Stead wrote in her hymn from 1882, Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus!

That's faith built on the Rock.

That's faith that endures.

That's faith that never fails.

That's faith in Christ Jesus our LORD, inspiring us to glorify God in joyfully gathering, willfully growing, lavishly giving, and courageously going in the power and unity of the Gospel!

Blessings and love,

-Kevin M. Kelley

Senior Pastor

BigIslandChristianChurch.com