Believing in Something That Lasts

Everyone believes in something. Whether we are religious or not, we each have certain things in life that that we believe will make us happier or more successful. 

For example, have you ever found yourself thinking:

• If I were more popular at school, I would be happier.
• If I had a boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife I would be happier.
• If I got a better job, I would be happier.
• If I lost weight, I would feel better about myself.

Everyone believes in something, but the problem is that not every belief lasts. If we believe our career will make us happy, what happens when the economy takes a turn for the worst and we face unexpected layoffs? If we believe in marriage, how do we handle the fact that over 50% of marriages end in divorce?

What we really want is something we can count on, something we are confident will be there when we need it, something we can build our life on.

Built to last

“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

1 Peter 1:24-25

What God gives us in the Bible is something that won’t let us down. His words are meant to get us through everything, from high school cliques to dating, marriage, parenting, and major job changes.

When we believe in something that lasts, we can feel secure that no matter what unexpected challenges come up in our lives, we always have something to turn to that can’t be taken away.

Choosing the Bible when life is hard

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

2 Timothy 4:2-3

Even though God’s word is meant to be sound and reliable, there are times we struggle to rely on it. For people who call themselves Christians, this often happens when life gets difficult; we begin to rely on our emotions and desires to dictate how we respond instead of the truth of the Bible.

Does your life reflect that you live by the Bible, or your own emotions? You know by how you answer these questions:

• How have you responded when life didn’t go like you wanted it to?
• How do you respond when your feelings are hurt?
• How do you respond when you are stressed and life is hectic?

When we decide we can’t trust God or can’t forgive, we are making a decision not to believe in the Bible and will end up feeling frustrated and dissatisfied.

Prepared for everything

16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

God gives us scriptures to prepare and equip us for every good and powerful thing he wants us to do. When we know we need to forgive, he gives us scriptures that help our hearts heal and change and find compassion.

When we are afraid to speak up or stand out, he gives us scriptures that help us find courage. This is what makes God attractive – regardless of what happens in life we can be prepared and equipped to do what’s right.

What area of your life do you need scriptures to help you change? When we decide to believe in the Bible, we will find ourselves making the decisions and changes really will help us be happy and successful in life.