The Faith the Dark Past Taught Us

On Sunday, Rev. Riana mentioned the life from the song Lift Ev’ry Voice: Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us. There are so many references to this perspective of looking back at those who have gone before and have handled difficulties in wise ways - and their faith can teach us so much. Here we see a remarkable listing in the book of Hebrews - where the heroes of faith didn’t just do great things, but handled horrible things. And both were faced with faith:

For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. - Hebrews 11:32-38

Take some time today and reflect on those around you who have faced difficulty with real faith. Who comes to mind for you? Is there a way, without shaming yourself, that you might reach towards that kind of faith today?