Faith, Hope, and Love in the Midst of a Rainy Season Pt1
n Part One of this series, we begin by exploring three powerful teammates of the Christian life: faith, hope, and love. Rather than competing with one another, these three virtues work together to strengthen and sustain us through every season. Together, we will take a simple look at what Scripture teaches about faith and hope, why they matter, and how they help us trust God even when we cannot yet see what He is doing. This study lays the foundation for understanding how these gifts from God work together to help us persevere until His promises become reality.
Maisha Wiggins
7/6/20263 min read
Faith, Hope, and Love in the Midst of a Rainy Season
Part one
Many of us are familiar with Paul's words, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
—1 Corinthians 13:13
These three are not competing virtues. They are teammates, each serving a unique purpose during different seasons of our walk with Christ.
Understanding Faith and Hope
For this blog journey, I want to keep the definitions simple. There are many excellent teachers and commentaries that explore this subject in much greater depth.
The Greek word translated as " faith is pistis. According to Strong's Concordance, it carries the idea of being persuaded, trusting, and placing confidence in someone. Most importantly, faith begins with God revealing Himself to us.
Faith, at its most basic level, is believing that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He has promised through His Son, Jesus Christ. Faith involves both the mind and the heart. It begins by believing God's Word, but it grows stronger as we experience His character.
One verse that beautifully summarizes this is John 6:69: "...Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Peter didn't simply say, "We believe." He said, "We have come to believe and know."
Their faith matured as they walked with Jesus, hearing His words, witnessing His works, and participating with Him.
Faith As a Foundation
Some of you may be thinking,
"Maisha, I came here to be encouraged, not to sit through a Bible lesson." Please stay with me.
This foundation matters. Faith is the foundation on which hope is built.
Because I have seen God's faithfulness in the past, I can confidently expect His faithfulness in the future. Faith says,
"I don't know how."
"I don't know when."
"But I know His character."
Biblical hope is much more than wishful thinking. It is a confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises. Author Derrick Prince describes hope as future-focused—a steady, continuing expectation of good from God. Faith and hope are beautifully connected. As Hebrews tells us, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1). Because of that, I can rejoice today, even before I see tomorrow's answer.
This isn't simply something I have read in a book or studied in a commentary. It has been encountered through personal experiences.
But what happens when faith and hope face a torrential downpour in real life? What happens when the answer is delayed, and anger, grief, confusion, or unanswered questions begin to drown out hope, not faith? What happens when our faith is strong, but our hope becomes waterlogged?
These difficult questions are not best answered with clichés or "Christianese," nor can they always be resolved in one sitting. They are often layered and complex.
While I do not have all the answers, I invite you to join me next Monday, July 13th, as we continue this journey together in Faith, Hope, and Love in the Midst of a Rainy Season – Part Two. I will share an excerpt from my personal journal during a rainy season in my life.
Personal Reflection
Take a few moments to reflect on what you've read. You may want to journal your thoughts, discuss them with a friend, or simply spend time in prayer with the Lord.
How would you describe the relationship between faith and hope in your own words?
What did you find most informative, encouraging, or inspiring?
Is there someone in your life who could be encouraged by these truths? Consider sharing this blog with them or using what you've learned to encourage them this week.
Until then, may the Lord continue to bless and keep you on the journey of -Healed & Healing as you go.