But, do we really--deep down--know what it means to have it?
Webster's Dictionary defines faith as,
(1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof
(2) : complete trust
Here's another question. If I were to lead you to the edge of a bridge and ask you to jump into the water with me, would you? No! Why not?
The leading reason could be that you don't know me. You don't know what is at the bottom, or how deep the water is. There would be a multitude of concerns that I would have to address before you would take that leap. Right?
On the other hand, if I asked my wife to do the same thing, she would jump without hesitation. Why? Because she has the faith that I will not put her life at risk without having a good reason. She knows that I have her best interest at heart, and that I have weighed out all of the options before making the desicion. Now, granted, I will give you that she would be asking several questions afterwards. But, it would be as she was floating in the water. That is faith!
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
One final question. How many times do we get down on our knees before God and send up a request for a need in our lives, without believing He will or can answer it? Think about, be honest with yourself.
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)--
It is impossible to please God without faith.
Anyone who wants to come to him
must believe that God exists and
that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Lack of faith is one of the leading factors to unaswered prayer and worry in a person's life. To me, when an individual prays about a circumstance they are having, and then turns right around a day or so later still concerned (worried)--that tells me they don't trust God to meet their needs. Give your problems to Him, have faith that He will meet your needs, and leave them there.
Again, what is F.A.I.T.H.?
Following
Always
Intently
Trusting
Him
What does faith mean to you?
Have a blessed Monday!
Yours in Christ,
5 comments:
Faith,,in and itself to me is not really faith,, it has become a knowledge that you are sure God is going to deliver what you need. It may not be what you want or expect but it is what you need at that moment in time to take you on to the next step in life. I believe our actions are not a result of our faith but an extension and a mirror of what we are about. I for one struggle hourly with hearing things from people saying "ohh where is your God now??" there was a time when I wanted to ... but cooler heads had prevailed 99% of the time. Our actions of faith are tested hourly. thanks for the bolg spot.. look forward to hearing what you have to say.
First, thank you for following along, and giving your thoughtful insight on the topic of faith, Randy!
I agree, sometimes what we desire in prayer isn't necessarily what God has in His plans for us. But praise God, He has promised to provide what we NEED.
I believe this situation is where some of us become disheartened. Sometimes, the answer to our prayer is "No", but this is where our faith (trust) should step in. We need to allow God to keep us inside of His will. If we do, the rewards are much greater in the end.
It saddens me to hear of the persecution that you are having to endure. Remember though, the Bible tells us in Matthew 5:10--
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
I will pray that God gives you strength through it all.
Again, thank you for your input!
God Bless,
Michael
Okay, I wouldn't jump in a pool with you simply 'cause I can't swim but I get what you mean about faith ☺
Impressive article. I'm about to tweet this!
Dear Michael, I enjoyed reading your article about faith, and you are right that it is about trusting our Lord. I like this Bible verse in Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."
I just joined ACFW. I am writing my first Christian romance novel and looking for an agent. I hope that I can connect with you through ACFW. I will subscribe to your blog. My blog is http://dickyto.com.
Thank you. In Christ, Dicky
We have to ask ourselves if we believe in God, or do we believe God? Those are two very different degrees of faith. Do we love God for what He can do for us, or do we love Him for who He is to us? What if He didn't answer our prayers to save a loved one? When we start asking God these questions, it can take us deeper in relationship with Him.
Great article Michael! I love your insight and scripture reference! thanks for making us think about our own faith.
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