Certain Hope in an Uncertain World: Michael Faraday’s Greater Discovery

What can give you strong assurance about your future when everything around you feels uncertain? The story of Michael Faraday, one of history’s greatest scientists, offers an answer that is more reliable than success, science, or fame.

Faraday started as the son of a blacksmith in London. He became a pioneer in electricity and magnetism, shaping the modern world. Yet the most important certainty in his life wasn’t found in a lab. It was found in Jesus Christ. When asked about his own future, Faraday didn’t guess or hope; he spoke with confidence rooted in the Bible.

The verse Faraday staked his life on

When people pressed him about death and what comes next, Faraday often quoted Paul’s words: “I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12, NKJV). That short sentence holds a big promise: real assurance comes from knowing a Person, Jesus, and trusting Him to keep us safe forever.

Why Jesus gives better assurance

We long for certainty. Careers change, health fluctuates, markets fall. Faraday’s experiments showed the order in God’s world, but his heart rested on God’s promise in Jesus Christ. The gospel tells us that God loves us even though we are sinful and lost: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NKJV).

“Assurance doesn’t come from how strong my grip is on God, but from how strong His grip is on me in Christ.”

This is grace. God giving us what we could never earn. Jesus’ death and resurrection open the way for forgiveness and new life. If you’re curious about this good news, here’s a simple explanation of the gospel we share. And if you’re wondering what it means to be forgiven and saved, we’ve written more about finding forgiveness in Jesus.

From “I hope so” to “I know”

Maybe you’ve heard, “No one can really know.” The Bible gently disagrees. “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13, NKJV). Faraday’s confidence didn’t come from being a genius; it came from simply believing Jesus’ promise.

Jesus invites ordinary people to receive eternal life by trusting Him: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, NKJV). Believing (trusting Jesus personally) is how we move from “maybe” to “known.”

If you want to go a bit deeper on assurance, we also explored this in our post on how to be sure you’re saved.

A gentle invitation

Faraday once said his faith gave him “calm repose.” That can be yours. Not by earning it, but by turning to Jesus in repentance and trusting His finished work on the cross for you. Talk to Him in your own words. Ask for His forgiveness and receive the gift He offers. And if you’re ready to think more, watch the full message above. We’d love for you to discover the same certain hope Faraday found in Christ.

“I know whom I have believed” is not for experts, but for anyone who trusts Jesus.