Legacy. What do you think of when you hear that word?

Legacies aren’t usually made very quickly, but are rather the process of a steady investment into something over a period of time. More than that, a legacy indicates that something has grown from small to great, usually in an uncommon way. It is the result of ardent faithfulness to a person, thing, ideal, or cause in a manner that generates inspiration and admiration in the hearts of men.

In a recent sermon, our pastor ministered a thought that has been ringing in my spirit these past few months. He said that faithfulness cannot be proven in the good times. Faithfulness is proven in the bad times.

As a follower of Christ, as a church member, in marriage or friendship, it is easy to feel and believe yourself to be faithful when everything is smooth and going your way; just as it is easy to submit to someone in authority over you when you agree with their decisions. But that is not submission, just as much as it is not faithfulness to stay steady when life is good. No, faithfulness is —and can only be— proven when it is not easy. You’ve heard the quote: “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” Thatis where faithfulness begins in life, in marriage, in friendships, on the job, and in service to God’s kingdom.

The Bible says a lot about this trait, and uses the term to describe God Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13 says “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” That is pretty powerful to me.

Hebrews 10:23 also says “He who promised is faithful.” Faithful is actually who God is, and many other scriptures go on to confirm that same truth*. Psalm 89:2 says the very heavens are established on the foundation of God’s faithfulness, and Revelation 19:11 says the one sitting on the white horse is called “Faithful and True.” Our reigning king can be called by anything He chooses, and the most important thing He chose to be called is ‘Faithful’, with a capital ‘F’! Wow.

When someone’s built that over you, you can rest in it. It’s a shelter; it is a real and sure refuge to which you can run and be safe. God’s faithfulness to us is a protection for us. The promises of His word are a shield and rampart (Ps 91:4), even when walls may come down around us. Because of God’s faithfulness, we can sing with truth the words of that song by New Life Worship, saying “I have found myself a hiding place…in the shelter of the Savior’s arms,” because we know He will always be there in strength for whatever we need.

My parents constantly taught me about faithfulness as a kid. Whenever I began an extracurricular activity or commitment, I was not allowed to quit until it was completed. Even if I decided that I was not enjoying myself, I had to see it through until the end. I studied classical piano for twelve years, but around 6th grade, there came a point at which I wanted to quit. Because of the time I had put into it, my mom would not let me make that decision until I completed another year. By that point, my attitudes had changed (as teenagers tend to do), and I chose to continue. It went on to become one of the most fulfilling and defining experiences of my childhood. Even in the attendance of my lessons, we never missed a week. It was not allowed. As an adult, I have now been able to perform for thousands, all because my parents would not let me quit. I realize now that there was a more meaningful lesson learned in this than the music lessons themselves. My parents were teaching me how to build a legacy.

As a kid, you don’t really have any idea of the value of faithfulness; but when you mature as an adult, you see how challenging it can be. How hard. You understand how commitment isn’t always effortless, and staying steady isn’t always the easiest reaction.

Faithfulness is not really the natural inclination of our flesh. It can be taught though, and hopefully we were all taught its importance through godly examples and leadership over the years.

If you’re blessed enough to have enjoyed a happy childhood and young adulthood where you were shielded from the disappointments and jading of the world, then your first experience with it can hit you pretty hard. Many of us handle it far less gallantly than we should, with less courage than we could. If we examined it closely though, we would realize that most of what we consider ‘problems’ are only “first-world” difficulties, not to be compared with the true hardness that many around the world suffer in far less graceful circumstances, but with far more graceful hearts.

For many of us, those first hits of the world seem to scream at us to back off, to quit, stop or turn around and go the other direction. But we are never to go by what we feel! When things get hard and uncomfortable, that’s exactly when we need to keep going. In that place, and that place alone, is where we find true faithfulness.

I am not talking about loyalty; loyalty is a trait found in very naturally among men. But loyalty is a matter of the heart. Faithfulness, on the other hand, is an adjustment of the heart. A matter of discipline. A decision of will. A choice, brought about by deliberate action.

Faithfulness separates the men from the boys, and the amateurs from the professionals. There is a maturity about it.

That’s because faithfulness is a legacy.

I saw a quote going around on the social media site Pinterest that epitomizes this natural inclination exactly. It reads: “Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.”

This sentiment sounds and makes people feel good, but it is a picture of the reaction of the flesh, not a reaction of the Spirit. It is humility that is found in faithfulness, not pride. The nature of the flesh is self-serving and small-minded, but God’s response and the reaction of faithfulness always is to stick with something and serve it instead of needing to be served. The proud of heart and those with worldly mindsets can never inherit the kingdom of God, because they cannot understand true faithfulness.

God gives us some amazing examples of faithfulness in the Word. Genesis tells us stories of Joseph, who refused to quit when uncomfortable — even unjust — circumstances came his way. In doing so, brick by brick he was building the foundation of a legacy that later sustained the Israelite nation for generations.

What if he had quit? What if he had stopped short?

Jesus our Lord walked with a strong faithfulness to his call. Difficulties? Many. Hardships? You bet. Heartbreak? Deep. Reward? Unlimited.

To add to this list, there’s Paul. Moses. Abraham. Hebrews 11 lists these and many others in the ‘Faith Hall of Fame’ as those God commends for their faithfulness; they were those of whom the world was not worthy (11:38). They experienced difficulties, hardships and heartbreak; but by walking in faithfulness, they displayed a trust in God that exceeded trust in themselves, their plans and purposes, or their decision making abilities. We can and must aspire to walk in that as well.

During the time of our engagement and wedding, Rob and I were overwhelmingly blessed with the amazing amount of support and encouragement given by our family and friends. With each shower and celebratory event, we were blessed beyond measure, and so many people put in effort, finances, and talents to make it a special time for us. As I thought about how we could ever deserve all the graciousness that was being sent our way, I had a huge realization that this wasn’t about us at all. The great joy that seemed to be present around our wedding was about the legacy our parents have built and were now passing down to us. These friends were, through us, honoring our parents.

Both Rob’s parents and my parents are very faithful people–the kind that have built a legacy up over years and decades by staying very steady and constant, not giving in to trends, or caving under difficulties. They have constantly followed God in the face of pressure and adversity. You name the situation or circumstance and, between the four of them, they’ve probably ‘been there, done that.’ That kind of living may make a few enemies, but it mostly makes friends and admirers. Those are the people that came out in abundance to support Rob and I during that wonderful time in our lives. I know that we were receiving the reward, as scripture has promised, of the faithful man’s seed. (Deuteronomy 7:9, Psalm 119:90)

I see now how valuable this trait is, and how few people are truly able to claim it. Maybe you weren’t left with something you would describe as a legacy from past generations, but there is no time for feeling sorry about it. There is time to change the future for your family and your life.

We must not let ourselves be blown about with every changing wind (Ephesians 4:14). Consistency is not the strongest character trait of our young generation. Instead, we have been taught to change our course when we become unhappy with anything from friends and commitments, to authority figures. When situations get hard and are not always agreeable, we have been told and shown it is easier to set sail on another boat than work at making the one you’re on stay afloat. We must fight against this mindset, and embrace the truth on the matter. What God says about faithfulness won’t be found on reality television or among the icons of pop culture, but they will surely outlast them all and cause your life to be built on a foundation of legacy instead of sinking sand. (Matthew 7:26)

This year, my parents celebrate 20 years of being pastors of the church they pioneered in 1992. At the time, it meant hauling our family across the country to obey God in the face of impossible situations, and odds stacked against them. Yet they still did it, and more than that, they have stuck with that decision and remained faithful ever since — not to multiple visions, but to one. Even in the small things, like going to church instead of staying home, they showed themselves faithful. Feelings weren’t consulted, although many times, I’m sure they didn’t feel like it was doing them any good to stay faithful.

You can’t always currently see what the future results of your present actions will be. But as surely as God‘s word is true, if you stay faithful, not jumping around from this thing to that thing, 20 years later, you will have built something that no one can take away. Though it may not have looked like it then, my parent’s consistency has built an immoveable foundation for our family. They taught me faithfulness with their lives and they built in me something that does not originate with man. What a wonderful gift to give to your children.

Whether we like it our not, we are all in the process of building something with our lives that we will leave behind, whether it be good or bad, strong or crumbling. In the process of faithful actions, you can actually build something immoveable and eternal that would have never existed before. One of the greatest legacies you can pass on to your children and family is that of being faithful to God and to where He has called you to be. It is what endures to generations.

We all desire depth in our lives, and it is the deepest cry of most every heart for our lives to mean something. This trait of faithfulness will provide you that. It will cause your life to have a depth about it that you would not otherwise have.

It would take me many more paragraphs to share with you all the Bible says about the great rewards awaiting those who live a life of faithfulness. In short, I can summarize by saying that faithfulness will pay. It always pays. You may not be able to see it right now in the short term, but it always pays big in the end.

With the deepest part of my being, I praise the Lord for His faithfulness. I exalt His name forever.

Thank You, God, for being faithful. To Your Word, and to Your promises, You are Faithful and True.

It is my most very favorite thing, about You.

* (Is 49:7, 1 Cor 1:9, 2 Cor 1:18, 1 Thess 5:24, 2 Thess 3:3)

Resource Recommendations for further study:

-If you are finding it hard to be faithful while you wait on God, this book by Lynette Hagin, called ‘Hey God, Why Is It Taking So Long?’ will be a great encouragement, helping you to stay focused, faithful and in faith. You can buy the book here. Or for an electronic read, find it in the iTunes, Kindle, or Nook digital libraries.

-Many times, lack of faithfulness can be linked very directly to offense, or being offended. If you don’t like the sound of that, then this subject may be exactly what you need to hear! A book I highly recommend on the subject, and a book that will help you stay faithful with a good attitude wherever you are at, is John Bevere’s book called ‘The Bait of Satan: Living Free from the Deadly Trap of Offense.’  Follow this link to purchase this item, which you will also find recommended under ‘My Favorite Things’.