“Pawn Shop Faith”

What Are We Trading Away to Survive These Times?

Many people today have traded in their faith like a cheap trinket at a pawn shop, hoping to gain a little temporary relief from the distress of the moment.

Some have traded their faith to political parties.
Some to political leaders.
Others have bowed to the pressure of cultural trends, greed, or money.

But long ago, Jesus asked a question that still echoes today.

In the Gospel of Luke 18:8 He asked, “When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”

In other words, when He returns, will our faith still be intact?
Will we still be holding on to Christ no matter what is happening in the world around us?

Sometimes you can recognize when faith is wavering just by observing the atmosphere around you. I see the fear. I see the uncertainty about what to believe. I see the exhaustion people are carrying.

But there is something deeply comforting to remember.
Jesus prayed for us that our faith would not fail when difficult times arrived.

I depend on that prayer more than I can say. I lean on the hope that my faith in Christ will withstand the onslaught of everything happening in the world.

The apostle Paul reminded us in the Epistle to the Galatians 6:9 that “we will reap if we faint not.”
In other words, if we don’t give up.

Today we watch young men being sent off to fight wars across the world. Yet here at home many of us are fighting battles of fear, uncertainty, and questions about the future.

And we must ask ourselves a difficult question:

Will our minds and spirits be strong enough to withstand these pressures like a soldier in battle?

That is why Paul urged believers in the Epistle to the Ephesians 6:11 to “put on the whole armor of God.” You cannot leave off any piece of it.

Faith is a necessary part of that armor. Without it, people run from spiritual battles the way a chicken runs loose at the county fair.

And sadly, many have already gone AWOL.

The truth is, this world is not going to get easier. In fact, the Bible told us long ago what these days would look like.

In the Book of Isaiah 60:1–2 the prophet described a time when darkness would cover the earth and deep darkness the people — yet God’s people would shine with His light.

That description sounds very familiar today.

The spiritual confusion, injustice, and hardship we are witnessing is exactly the kind of darkness Isaiah spoke about.

But the instruction God gave His people was simple:

“Arise. Shine.”

My encouragement to you is this: find your joy again in reading your Bible — what some jokingly call Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Inside those pages are the promises of God. And when you know His promises, you are far less likely to faint or give up.

You will be able to stand in the middle of the darkness and still shine.

Because those who follow God begin to reflect His truth, His hope, and His character.

And when that happens, faith is no longer something we hide.

It becomes something we live.

Mama Wisdom to Carry With You

Sometimes the world feels darker than we ever expected it to be. But God never asked His children to chase away the darkness — He simply asked us to shine.

And the truth is, the darker the night becomes, the more clearly the light can be seen.