FAITH IN GOD
Our Faith is shaped by different things. For some it’s the promises of God written throughout scripture, what God has done in our lives previously, the testimonies of others, or because it’s the last choice/option left for us to take. Romans 4:18 GNT says that “Abraham believed and hoped, even when there was no reason for hoping, and so became “the father of many nations.””. Could it be that Abraham had known the goodness of God all his life and that was his default? -hope and Faith in God? Or could it be that he didn’t have enough people, situations or experiences around him to dull his faith.
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Just like Abraham. Him being old and gray, with an elderly wife, but still hoping that he would be the father of all nations through a son called Isaac. And even after he got Isaac, we see that in Hebrews 11:17-19, he was willing to sacrifice the same son through whom God had made a covenant with him. He believed that God would raise Isaac back to life. This whole story sounds messed up and unreal. But such is faith. A child like expectation and belief that our father is the greatest, and able to accomplish just anything. And regardless of whether we can comprehend how he will do it or not, just trusting his plan. Our faith is not shaped by science or logic. It is shaped by knowing that God’s ways are beyond our ways, and letting him be God. Without “trying” to help him.
We need faith to manifest the power of Christ working through us. Without faith, our talents are buried, and we can not perform the miracles Christ said we could. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine walking on water, crossing the red sea, telling Nebuchadnezzar that you wouldn’t bow to his gods and accepting to be put into that furnace. Or being Noah, building that ark and waiting 7 days before the rain showed; people must have been laughing at him, and calling him crazy. Faith is not easy to display, and its even harder when the situation is complicated.
At the start of June, I asked God to give me faith the size of his power- a very ambitious prayer. Every single day that went by, my faith was tested. But the words “be still and know I am God” kept echoing through my mind. I woke up every single morning and practiced my faith. As the month came to an end, I experienced both. I saw the evidence of his power, and I got the things I had maintained faith in. He completely amazed me. Even when we cannot see it, we need to act on our faith. James 2:26 tells us that faith without actions is dead. Colossians 3:1 MSG tells us that if we are serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, then we should act like it. That means that every single day, we are required to live up to this faith, acting in ways that speak to sonship. This means dressing like the jobs we dream of, being mothers every chance we have, even when we haven’t seen our physical children; reading those books to prepare ourselves for the roles we are stepping into; buying that land and believing God for the resources to establish it, etc. All should be done in faith.
Sometimes it’s a question of how long? How long do I trust in God? How long do I wait? How long? If you have another alternative (which I hope you don’t), if you think you can do it in your own strength (absolutely risky and stressful), then go ahead. But I find that trusting God is easy, is safer, carries less risk, and guarantees the best benefits. Isaiah 28:16 tells us that faith that is firm is also patient. Therefore, we will be patient. Until God decides it’s time. And every time we are tired of waiting in faith, we will call on him for an outpouring of his grace. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us that God is able to make all grace abound toward us, always having sufficiency in all things.
Faith is a way of complete surrender. At that moment when we have worked our heads off and done things in our power with a lot of effort but little to no result, when we finally decide to let go and let God, that is faith. That is surrender. When we realize that in our own ability it is impossible to do certain things.
Faith makes us pray. It makes us fast, makes us give, makes us worship. Because we know we are not wasting time. Because we know our prayers are rising to the one whom we can not see. Faith puts us in good standing with God.
Faith makes us descendants of Abraham. And as it’s written in Romans 4:13-25, through faith, the promises God made to Abraham become our promises too. Faith puts us right with God. It enables us to please God, and godliness and righteousness increase in us through faith in Jesus Christ. In fact, Faith is our way of life as Christians. Galatians 5:6 tells us that as Christians, the only thing that matters is faith expressing itself through love.
Faith is obedience; faith is a form of worship; faith is a way of life.
