I've meditated on this fruit of the Spirit for a long time. After all, who doesn't know that faith in God is complete and total trust in Him? I would venture to say that we know what it is. However, if you're like me, you may struggle with exercising your faith at times.
On Tuesday when the doctor diagnosed all three of my sons with ear infections, my knee-jerk reaction was to become stressed and worried, which of course is an antithesis to having faith in God. We are bombarded nearly everyday with situations where we can either exercise our faith or react in the flesh. So, the question is, how can we make our instant response to a potentially stressful situation, one of faith?
Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." So, we can't see the outcome in the natural, but we must BELIEVE and ACT as if we do. (If you haven't read the eleventh chapter of Hebrews lately, I would encourage you to reacquaint yourself as I have--just a goldmine of faith-filled passages.)
Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." From this verse, it is apparent that the first step in the faith building process is an obvious one: you have to believe that He is. The other part is that you have diligently seek Him. Seek Him daily by reading the Word and praying.
Another key element to building faith is found in Romans 10:17. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Many want to squabble about the importance of attending and being a member of a good local church, but it's in the Word. The second part of Romans 10:14-15 reads, "and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" As painful as it may be to some, building your faith is something that requires obedience in the Word and attending church to hear good, sound doctrine from a preacher. It is crucial.
So, those of you who can get a prayer through, pray that the Lord leads my family to the right church home. We have made a big move recently, and it's been pretty challenging visiting different churches. Nevertheless, my family is encouraged and determined to find the place where the Lord wants us to be.
What about you? Are you searching for a church home? Are you faithful to the one you belong to? Regardless of what the "world" says, it does take ALL THAT to help build our faith so that we can move the mountains in our lives!
Let me hear from you. . .
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