The Apostle Paul tells Timothy, “Fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). An important aspect of this fight is our struggle to believe God – to believe in His character, to believe His promises, to believe that He is in control, to believe that He will bring about the final culmination of all things.

Hebrews 11 gives us a litany of many characters from the Old Testament who did exactly that – who fought the fight to believe and succeeded in that fight. The author cites several we expect: Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses. But consider Hebrews 11:29:

By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

When reading the account of the Israelites by the Red Sea, I don’t come away thinking, “Wow! What great faith they had!”

Consider their reaction when they see Pharaoh’s army pursuing them:

“Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt? Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.” (Exodus 14:11-12)

Now, after God brings them through the sea on dry land yet drowns the pursuing army, they believe:

Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:31)

But only a few days later they grumble against Moses (and, implicitly, against God) when there is no water (Exodus 15:23-24); shortly thereafter they complain more, this time about the lack of food, once again wishing they were back in Egypt:

“Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.” (Exodus 16:3)

The author of Hebrews assures us: They have faith. Exodus, on the other hand, shows us that their faith is fickle and small; perhaps it is only the size of a mustard seed. But the object of their faith is great; indeed, He is almighty. He protects them from the army. He divides the sea. He brings them through on dry land, with the water piled up on each side. Their small and fickle faith in Him is sufficient for them to walk between those mounds of water.

What about you? Does your faith, like theirs, seem fickle and small? Do you trust God one day and then act as if He has no regard for you the next? Are you frightened when you contemplate the dangers and uncertainties ahead?

Take heart from Hebrews 11:29. God’s fulfillment of His promises depends on Him, not on you. Remind yourself of Who He is, of what He has done, of what He has promised. Listen to your brothers and sisters who are there to stand alongside you in this fight of faith. Reflect on His Word day and night.

In this way, fight the good fight of faith, the fight to believe – but don’t focus on your faith. Focus on the God who is the object of your faith. And thus endure to the end – by His power – and be saved – by His mercy.