Faith is a difficult thing. We have to believe that things will be okay without any assurance or evidence to help us believe. Believing that verse, "I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future," can take some work.
My faith isn't magical. In the toughest moments I make myself remember how I got through tough moments before. I remember how I actually didn't do anything special, I tried to keep my brain still and tried to faithfully do the next thing. When the road was blocked, I tried to calmly turn and go the other way and not get upset about the detour. I tell myself the road wouldn't have been good for me. My pride is hurt a bit, but it will heal. I keep traveling, keep actively trusting, keep telling myself it will be okay, then I hit another road block and try to calmly turn and go another direction. Faith is knowing that I didn't cause the road block. The road block is there to protect me, not harm me. It never feels that way. When you think you are headed to California and the roads are blocked so you have to go to North Dakota (a wonderful place, but not what you were looking forward to), it takes a minute to adjust and it takes some work to believe that it is ultimately for the best. What we don't know is that in a week, there will be fires or earthquakes or rain or something in California and North Dakota will be the best and most beautiful place.
It's easy to see this after the fact. It's easy to understand the journey and all of it's topsy turvy-ness once you've reached the destination. The work comes in accepting the journey and not getting angry with the changes. That's faith. Believing that the result will be the best and most amazing thing for you and accepting that the journey won't hurt you, trusting that you may even be better for it.
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