What is the True Meaning of Faith?
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Faith: What is it and why is it so important to have?
Oxford languages define faith as complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Or a strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion base on spiritual apprehension rather than proof. I side with the first definition most, but the second definition has points too. Faith is having complete and unequivocal trust in God despite proof. Believing even when you aren’t seeing. Faith is a huge part of being a follower of Christ. I feel it’s also an area that as humans we naturally struggle with. We are raised to believe things we can see, touch, and feel. So what happens when you are expected to have complete confidence in someone you can’t see? Doubt creeps in.
Questioning Your Faith
It is normal for any Christian new and old alike to have doubts. I feel it can be a strength to question your faith when it triggers you to delve deeper into the word of God. Causing you to discover so many amazing things about Him you may not have known before. An anointed evangelist my husband and I enjoy watching is Ray Comfort with Living Waters. I urge you to check out his video with a young man named Mario. It’s truly moving.
Faith for Things You Can’t See
The reason I mention this man is that he helps put things into terms that we can easily understand that seem to elude so many. In one example he uses when you see a painting, you know there’s a painter. There’s no doubt in your mind a painter created that. Same with a building or any other physical thing we can see. We know it was created by someone and did not merely appear out of thin air. Or with a car, for instance, we can’t see everything going on underneath the hood, but we trust that car to get us where we are going safely.
Have Faith in God
You can apply this same concept to having faith in God. We can see his creation all around us. We know that nothing can come from nothing. We know that God is omnipresent, meaning he is present everywhere at the same time. God exists outside of time. It is hard for the human mind to comprehend such things. The same way that we trust a car or an airplane to take us safely to our destination is the same way we should trust God to deliver us safely to our final destination.
Faith Like a Grain of a Mustard Seed
Knowing that He is working behind the scenes whether we can see it or not. We do not see all the inner workings of the plane or car, but we know there’s fuel passing through and parts moving allowing us to travel. In the same way, God is moving and working things in your favor whether you realize it or not. The bible says even having faith like a grain of a mustard seed can move mountains. Making nothing impossible for you. I don’t know about you, but I feel like mustard seeds are insanely tiny.
Faith Can Move Mountains
So, in this parable, God is showing us even if you have the smallest amount of faith, you can make those storms you are facing move. I’m not saying the storm will always move because of your faith. Sometimes you will be tested. You will have to face storms for God to build you into a warrior to better serve Him. God will answer your prayers in a way that you least expect. Have faith in His word. He tells us he has a plan and purpose for us and He only wants to give us an abundant life of joy and peace.
Believe and You Shall Receive
You must believe to see that things are going to happen. Waiting around to see something happen to believe just is not how it works. In Mark 11:24 He tells us, “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours”. That is having faith that when you are praying for God to move in your life that you already know God is moving before you even finish your prayer. God knows your heart, your mind, and your deepest desires.
Faith is the Assurance of Things Hoped For
It goes on in Hebrew 11:1 stating, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”. So, he is saying be assured in the things you are hoping for that you cannot see. It goes in the same chapter, verse 6, to say, “Without faith, it is impossible to please Him. For he who comes to God must believe that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him”. That is super powerful.
Impossible to Please God Without Faith
He is literally saying it’s impossible to please God without faith. It is an integral part of being a believer and follower of God. You must believe and be confident within your heart and mind that he is going to reward those who seek Him and His kingdom above all. If your desires line up with the Bible, you will be astonished at how many doors open for you. Many make the mistake of doubting God when their ungodly prayers do not get answered. God has many blessings to pour out unto you if they align with His will and His calling for your life.
Walk by Faith. Not by Sight
I could give countless verses about the importance of faith. Another one in, 2 Corinthians 5:7, says “For we walk by faith, not by sight”. He lets us know that the things we are called to believe we won’t always see. He also shows us the dangers of not having faith in most of these verses. Like in James 1:6 when he says, “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:3 says, “Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
Full Faith and Confidence
Jesus lets us in on some key knowledge in these verses. That we must have faith to serve him. Having the tiniest bit of faith can move mountains. We may not always see what He’s doing behind the scenes, but to have full faith and confidence He is always working to our good. To have faith without doubt because the doubt convolutes our steadfast trust in Him. And, that we should recognize when our faith is being tested that it produces perseverance. He’s letting us know, things are going to happen even if your faith is tested, and that’s okay, you will be stronger for it.
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Follower by Faith
Hey, I'm Nicole, the Creator behind Follower by Faith! Just a hard-working, animal loving mom/wife who's been through many trials and wants to turn my mess into a message to bring glory to God through helping others. Welcome!