A stone of hope from the mountain of despair

2 Timothy 1:12
{12} For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

The “I have a Dream” speech of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 has become a part of American thought and literature. King delivered his speech at a time when national tensions were high and when the jury was still out concerning the future of race relations in America. Regardless of the harsh environment of his day, one cannot listen to the recordings of the speech without sensing the faith of the speaker. King was convinced that his dream would become a reality. In speaking of his hope King said that he was going back to the South with faith that his people could hew “a stone of hope” from a “mountain of despair.” Often faith is discovered following the turmoil where the faithful has the vantage point of looking back through difficulties and now having the deliverance of God in his grasp. But this is not the case with Paul. The faith of the Apostle is found in the middle of the struggle and not at the end of the journey. Paul states, I also suffer. The verb is a Greek tense is present and conveys the idea of suffering actually taking place at the time of writing. Paul’s suffering was not behind him, he was in the middle of it. He is imprisoned and believes that his mortal life is quickly coming to an end. But he knows that his salvation and service to God are worth it. At the time of his suffering there are no regrets for his losses but instead there is hope for his future which the suffering cannot steal away. Within the furnace of hot turmoil Paul is hewing out a stone of hope from a mountain of despair.

How do you cut a stone of hope out of the mountain of despair? How could such a faith be achieved?

Faith must be fully embraced
Paul states, I am not ashamed. If anyone could have ever been in a quandary as whether or not to accept the situation at hand, it would have been the Apostle Paul. Sitting in a dungeon and awaiting a certain death doesn’t sound like the kind of future to put your faith in. But Paul was convinced that his life was wrapped up in the sovereign will of God. Therefore there was no shame in embracing the suffering was looming before him. A faith that cannot be embraced in the middle of suffering is a faith you can’t depend on.

Faith must be decided in irrevocable decisions
The text speaks of 3 major decisions made within the mind of Paul. Faith decisions are permanent decisions. They do not change with the passing of time or with the circumstances of reality. Paul states, For I know, I have believed, and I am convinced. Each of these phrases are in the perfect tense emphasizing the serious nature of the decisions and the commitment of Paul to not change his mind. First, Paul knew his faith. To know your faith is to understand it and comprehend it. Faith may be discovered in the events of life but strong faith is not just discovered, it is studied, exercised, and grown. Second, Paul believed his faith. To believe in something is to trust it. Paul trusted his faith and knew he could depend upon it. Third, Paul was convinced of his faith. To be convinced of your faith is to grow in the maturity of your trust. After you have learned to trust something over a period of time you learn that arguments which might arise concerning the validity of faith are futile. When the Discovery Channel talks about another Gospel of Jesus, your faith is not shaken or concerned. You are convinced of it and no argument of the present can shake the faith of the future.

Faith must be dependent on God and God alone
The Apostle states that He is able to guard. There is no doubt concerning the ability of God. Paul had accomplished much as a missionary/theologian but he realizes that his own strengths are meaningless in terms of faith. In order for his service and salvation to have any meaning at all it must be entrusted into the safekeeping of God.

Faith understands that it can last until faith is no longer needed
Verse 12 speaks of the future of faith. Until that day is a reference to that time to come in eternity. In Heaven, faith will no longer have a bearing in our lives. Our mortal relationship is based on faith. Our relationship of eternity will not be through a glass darkly as Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13, but it will be relationship which will be face to face.

PRAYER
Lord, help my faith to grow. Convict me so that I will know beyond a shadow of a doubt that no matter what my circumstances are you are always there directing the affairs of my life. Help me to make all the decisions of my life based on my faith relationship with you. In Jesus name, Amen.