I was standing on a beautiful beach while we were stationed on the little island of Guam, watching the water ebb and flow with our first foster child. Reflecting on our decision to take on another child, while I was already struggling with my abilities to mother my own biological children, I felt the Lord speaking to my heart about faith. I had a revelation that faith was a lot like the water I was looking at.

If you put that water in a bucket, it’s clear and you can see right through it. If you pour the water onto a friend, it won’t hurt them. However, if a tsunami were to come, they would run for their life. If there’s so much of the water to cause a flood, it becomes insurmountable. It just really depends on how much water you have that determines how strong and powerful it is.

I believe that the same is true of faith. If you have no faith, or if it’s constantly wavering, it’s probably not doing much good. If you have strong, unshakable faith, it can make such a difference in your life, and the lives of those around you. Tsunami faith can heal the sick and move mountains!

Hebrews 11:6 tells us that “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

In Mark 5:40 Jesus went to raise a girl to life that had died, but after the people mocked Him, He threw them out because of their lack of faith in order to heal her. The Greek word used there was “ekballo” which is a forceful action of authority, and often used to cast demons out. That tells us how strongly He felt about their lack of faith in His presence while He was planning to heal her.

I have seen amazing things happen, and have seen people healed that had this type of faith. Mathew 21:22 tells us, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” However, I feel like I need to add that this doesn’t mean you will simply get anything you want. I do believe that if it aligns with the perfect will of God, then yes you will.

I’ve actually struggled with this over the years because I’ve been in constant pain for over half of my life. I’ve had hands laid on me, been prayed for a lot, and accepted and truly believed I’d be healed… yet here I am still in pain. I thought I must be doing something wrong. I’ve prayed for people that have still died. But I’ve learned over the years that it’s not about what we want. It’s about what God’s best is. As sad as it may be for us, sometimes God’s best for someone that we’re praying for is to bring them home to Him.

So have tsunami faith! I have learned that if things don’t go the way I hoped or prayed for, God has something better lined up. My faith isn’t about believing I’m going to get everything I want, my faith leads me to believe without a doubt that God is good, and He’s working things together for my good (Romans 8:28) and for His glory. I love how Lysa Terkeurst says it, “God is good, and God is good at being God.” Even in my pain, I know that God is using it and I’m learning so much about myself and health and wellness through it. With God, nothing is wasted. So, I will stand firm in my unshakable tsunami faith. 😊

“When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.”
Mark 5:38‭-‬42

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4