I’ve been searching for the biblical meaning of the word “faint”, and I have come across scriptures that talk of “fainting”, but they also offer comfort in knowing that God is always there, if we hold on. The definition of faint is to become weak or dizzy; close to losing consciousness. It also means not clearly seen or felt. Sometimes when we lose sight of God, we feel a ‘faint’ touch, but it seems as though it’s not enough for us to know that He’s there, so we feel ‘faint’ at that time. The bible tells us in Isaiah 40:29 that “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might; He increaseth strength.” I delight in this promise because the scripture tells me that He is always there. It goes on to say in verse 31 “but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.” The keyword is shall. It doesn’t say maybe or could or probably. The promise is that we shall. That waiting on the Lord not only keeps us from fainting, but there’s a constant renewal of strength in times when we feel like giving up. In a world filled with uncertainty, it feels great to be rooted and anchored in the Lord. To know that being able to access Him through prayer and seeking His face constantly, should give us more reason to do so. I know what it feels like to be empty because I walked without God. It hurts. Then one day, I listened to a song and the singer quoted Psalm 27:13, “I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” And I often wondered what that meant so I set out to learn. I wanted to grow closer to God so that I wouldn’t faint. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and He shall strength thine heart. Wait, I say on the Lord.” Another promise. Promises to keep us strengthened if we trust in the Lord. Trusting God’s plan is more important than anything else we can do. Once, I worked in a daycare and I had a conversation with my boss, Ms Fran, about God, and she told me that she trusts God because she has nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Because if she dies believing in God, and nothing happens, then nothing happens, but if she dies not believing in His Word, living His Word, and it turned out that He is real, then she would go to hell, and that’s not an option. So she lives her life trusting and believing in God’s Word. I took that with me, because I honestly believe that trusting and believing in God is far better than not having anything to live for. Galatians 6:9 “Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap if we faint not.” This is yet more comfort in knowing that if we come out of living in the world and live for God, then our living won’t be in vain. Because if we live contrary to God’s Word, then we will lose our souls. There is no destiny, nothing to look forward to outside of God. This world is becoming more and more dark every day.
I recognized today that the Holy Spirit is urging us to not give up when the term “faint” is used. But the first step is to acknowledge that we need God in every aspect of our lives. Building a foundation with Christ requires us to communicate with Him daily through prayer, the reading of His Word, worshipping Him, and fasting. Coming to God is not as hard as we make it seem. Sometimes we may not understand things, but it’s not for us to understand God’s ways, we just need to trust Him. So don’t give up on your dreams just because you don’t see things happening according to your schedule. Trust God. When His timing and season for your life aligns, then everything will fall into place. Now, I’ll leave you with this, Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your path.”
Yours in Christ
Erica J Hill
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