How wide is your faith?
Western evangelicals are known for their emphasis on personal faith in Jesus. While that is wonderfully necessary, it often neglects an aspect of faith in the universal Lordship of Christ and the overarching sovereignty of God. For emphasis, let me differentiate this component as “macro-faith.” It is not a new faith; it is part of the broader historic Christian faith that looks beyond our personal lives and trusts God on a global scale.
Scripture talks about God’s universal sovereignty, which may sound obvious, but practically, we seem to be failing. You’ve likely seen a lack of macro-faith in situations like natural disasters, pandemics and political elections when Christians isolate, cower, and complain. Christians tend to fight for their rights and agendas as if the world's future depended on them. I’m not saying we shouldn’t get involved in the world, but the Bible gives no indication that Christians rise up and save the planet. Jesus saved the world, and he is establishing his kingdom. That fundamentally shifts the understanding of our purpose on earth.
The narrative that God is establishing his kingdom (and demolishing human ones) is all over the Bible. The prophet Daniel said, “He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings” (Daniel 2:21). God does as he pleases, and if we are not comfortable with that, our faith might be small and narrow (see Jesus’ response to his disciples in the boat in Matthew 8:26).
Perhaps democracy has given us a false sense that destiny is in our hands. Maybe we need to limit our personal expectations and instead increase our trust in God’s greater kingdom purposes. This requires a faith that supersedes our geography, context, and trials. That kind of faith trusts God despite personal hardship and puts greater faith in God’s better and bigger future plans (see Hebrews 11:39-40).
The author of Hebrews has this in mind, saying, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible” (Hebrews 11:1-3). The chapter goes on to show that faith is a lifestyle based on God’s plans and promises, and faith hopes for a better future with God.
Without a macro-view faith, we will be disappointed with politics, distraught in bad weather, and doubtful in times of sickness and death. If we cannot accept God’s sovereignty over everything, then we will never be at peace in the storms and miss what He is doing in and through all of it. Instead of questioning God’s existence and goodness in trials, macro-faith considers why God allows pandemics, wars, and family struggles.
Instead of being the loudest complainers, Christians are called to be the calmest people on the planet. Peaceful rest turns heads when the world is in upheaval. People expect suffering. They don’t expect a response of peace and love. And that response can stir lost hearts to see God in the storm.
So, what can we do?
We certainly do not build our faith through willful striving and self-help. That contradicts trust in God. Instead, we, “fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). We come to God in hopeful expectation. We listen to him. And, for every doubt, there is a truth in Scripture to strengthen our wayward hearts.