My husband, Fred, was suffering from a horrible lung disease. This was strange to me because he never smoked. I had faith that he would be healed. The Bible definition of faith is so fascinating: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1 NIV). 

Hebrews 11:1 says faith is something coming into reality that we hope for—I believe that's like a house, health, finances, husbands (or wives) or whatever—only the how, what, when, and where are missing.

I did not know the how, when, or where, but I had “Hebrew 11:1” faith. Even though Fred’s health was declining, and I did not know the how or when, my faith said he would recover. His health continued to decline, and he eventually died. And so did my faith.

Jude 1:3 says: I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.

My faith needed resurrecting so I could continue to fight. But I didn’t know how to fight for my faith. Jude 1:20 says to do these three things:

1. Build yourselves up by praying in the Holy Spirit. 

2. Stay in His love. 

3. Wait for His mercy that leads to eternal life.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:20-21)

How do we build ourselves up in our most holy faith? 

Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. (Ephesians 6:18)

How do we keep ourselves in the love of God?

"If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love." (John 15:10)

How do we wait for the mercy of God that leads to eternal life? 

Wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:21)

After Fred passed, my faith fight was gone. I had given up, but God reminded me of my husband’s faith—how he was constantly praying for and loving people. He would preach to doctors, nurses, janitors—anyone close to his hospital room. In fact, one of his doctors even played “Taps” at Fred’s funeral. 

While I was visiting Fred at the hospital before he died, he shared a dream. Although he really could not articulate it, he said it was more than a beautiful dream. It was a tangible feeling of the things that we had hoped for. He was seeing the evidence, the who, what, when, and where. It was Hebrews 11:1: fascinating faith becoming substance—manifesting. 

He told me that he was in a win-win situation; whether he stayed here with me or went to be with the Lord to experience God’s mercy... he would win. 

Fred fought the good fight of faith and won. I think about Fred’s dream and what he said to me. It planted a mustard seed of faith back in me. It restored my faith because along with my pain, grief, and emptiness, there is now room for my restored faith to grow.

When your faith becomes defunct, dim, or dead like mine did, follow Jude 1:20-21. 

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Scripture is quoted from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION^®, NIV^® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.^® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.