They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” And they shared the word of the Lord with him and with all who lived in his household.Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized. He brought them into his house and set a meal before them, and he and his entire household rejoiced because they all believed in God. (NLT)

When you find yourself in a trying situation, what’s your response? Whether it’s an unfair accusation, experiencing loss, a medical diagnosis, or the loss of a job, is your first thought why me or how do I get out of this situation? Maybe you are paralyzed by fear, anxiety, anger, or sadness. Or is your focus on trusting God, going to Him in prayer, or sitting quietly in His presence?  

‍

At different points in my life I’ve encountered health problems, relationship struggles, and loss. I’ve navigated finding community, stepping out of my comfort zone, and asking for a deeper life.  What I have learned through some challenging times (both good and bad) is that having faith in God is the only way that works. Putting my hope and trust in anything else only seems to let me down.

‍

You and I were created for faith in God. After all, He is the only One who will never let us down. Therefore, we can trust that He will bring good from any and all situations that we face. That’s not to say life’s always easy or without hardship, but that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him according to His plan (Rom. 8:28).

‍

In my own life, I have seen my testimony and trust in God spur others on, too. How have you seen your faith lead others to believe?  

In the rest of the story surrounding today's verse, we read about how Paul was unjustly beaten and imprisoned yet trusts the Lord that this will be an opportunity to share his faith with others.  It’s not often easy to look at a difficult situation and ask how our faith in that moment can impact others. But when we lean into that, we see outcomes like this: Paul’s faith influenced the jailer and his entire household to come to Jesus.

‍

Jesus is personal, and He wants to use you and your faith, no matter how great or small, to lead others toward a relationship with Him. So, ask yourself this question again: Does my faith lead others to believe?

‍

If not, are you hiding your faith? Do you believe the lie that your faith is too small to share with others? What is holding you back? Your friends and family need faith. They need hope. They need a deep and meaningful relationship with Jesus. And I bet that as you share your faith with others, it will grow in you, as well, as you begin to see even more from our amazing God who works all things together.

Lord, thank You for giving me the gift of faith. Thank You for allowing me to see other’s faith that has spurred me on in my own walk with You. I thank You for the hope that trusting in You brings through the trials and the triumphs. Would You continue to growth my faith and use it to lead others to believe? In Jesus’ name, Amen!