Sometimes people mistakenly believe that faith means ignoring the facts. But nothing could be further from the truth!

Abraham understood this: “Abraham was almost a hundred years old, much past the age for having children, and Sarah could not have children. Abraham thought about all this, but his faith in God did not become weak” (Romans 4:19 CEV).

Abraham was 99 years old; his wife was 89. It was medically impossible for them to have children. He didn’t deny the facts. He faced them with faith.

Faith doesn’t ignore reality. It doesn’t pretend there isn’t a problem. Faith is facing the facts in your life without being discouraged by them.

Some people teach a Christianity that says believers should deny their problems and just smile their way through life. But that’s not the way of Jesus.

Faith will never ask you to deny reality. It’s not living in denial. It’s not clinging to the past. Faith is not stubborn foolishness.

You may need to do some legitimate grieving for a diagnosis you haven’t wanted to admit or a dream for your life that won’t ever happen.

But you don’t need to have a pity party. You need to tell God, “It didn’t turn out like I wanted, but I know you have a better plan for my life.”

That’s what faith looks like. God isn’t through with your life. God has good things in store for you! You can face the facts and choose not to be discouraged by them.

When she was young, author and Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom was engaged to be married. All of a sudden, the man broke up with her and married a friend. She was devastated. She never did marry and went through life as a single woman.

Corrie Ten Boom didn’t pull herself into a shell. She redirected her love. She became one of the most loving Christian leaders of the 20th century, influencing millions of people.

She only did that because she refused to deny the facts. She trusted God and loved others through her faith.

You can do the same.