What I learnt about Faith
Many people seem to think they understand Faith and how it works. I would like to share with you what I have learnt in the last 6 months or so with regards to Faith. Faith is something I had to learn and mature in. Many will say “I have faith” but what does it really mean to have faith.
Lets first look at the definition of the word Faith.
Merriam Webster Dictionary: Strong belief or trust in someone or something, belief in the existence of God /strong religious feelings or beliefs. To have faith in someone or something means to believe them or trust them.
Bible Definition: Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen”
Basically you believe in something before you have seen it come to pass. You have confidence in its outcome.
As believers we are told by Jesus to “Have Faith in God” Mark 11:22. To have Faith in God is to have full confidence in Him and what He can and will do. You need to stand firm on what He says and trust that He will come through for you.
But how do we build up Faith? Well how does Faith come? Faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God. Romans 10:17. We are to spend time listening to the Preached Word, we are to spend time studying the Word of God consistently. When we do this our faith builds up and our confidence in God grows.
A couple of months ago I was sitting in a town I didn’t want to be in but moved there out of fear. I loved God but knew I moved there against His advice and guidance. I needed to get back home and so I went before God and I asked Him to help me. I lay this at my Fathers feet and just believed that His plan to get me home would be revealed. In this time I just didn’t focus on it and what that says to me and I am sure to God was that I wasn’t serious enough about getting home. Look yes we are to lay our problems at Gods feet and know that He will sort it out but we play a part in the process. Not only must I believe that He will make things happen but “Faith without works is dead” James 2:26 so in essence there is something we need to do that will be proof of our faith.
Every time I tried to get home my faith kept failing and I couldn’t understand it until about April 2014 when I decided enough was enough. It was time to get serious. I went before God and I told Him I knew He wanted me home and that is also where I wanted to be. I told Him I was laying this matter at His feet and that I trusted Him to make a way. Which I did! So this is where my “works” part comes in. I knew God was going to make a way when I showed I was serious about being home. I started with looking for houses back home and I put my CV out applying for jobs, I got quotations for the moving van and on and on and on it went. And that’s when it all came together. God started moving in ways that just knocked my socks off. Everything was falling into place. I found a place that met all my needs and more and was in my price range. The owner needed someone as soon as possible but after explaining I would only be there end of month God worked on him and the next day he was willing to wait till I arrived. Moving company gave me a discounted price. I made arrangements to move my daughter between the two schools. She was returning to her previous school which were too happy to take her back. It was just such a blessing to see how things were coming together. Eventually I had all sorted and all I needed was the finances which by the way God made a way for that as well. I didn’t have to loan the money. I am safely in my hometown and everything is paid for in full with no debt made up.
I want you to know that if you can believe God and have confidence in what He can do all you need to do is show Him how serious you are and He will go to work moving in ways that you cannot even begin to imagine.
Know that He wants to help you and is waiting on you to call on Him. But know that God isn’t going to do all the work. He requires your faith to move Him. Sometimes it requires us to do something that activates that faith. Where here you can see it was me starting and making plans to move. Deciding that getting home is what pleases my Father and that I wanted to get home for Him. How much did I want it?
Reminds me of a story in the book of John where Jesus was addressing the invalid that was waiting to climb into the pool to be healed but every time the water is stirred up someone else gets in before him and he had excuse after excuse as to why he wasn’t healed. Jesus asked him “Do you want to get well?” Basically saying. . . How serious are you about getting well? Are you just going to keep making excuses or are you going to actually do something.
Jesus is asking you the same thing today. No matter what the problem or situation Jesus is asking you. . . Do you want to get well? Do you want to get out of this? How much do you want what you are believing for?
Ask yourself this. . . How much do I want this? What am I willing to do to have it? Put it at Gods feet and have faith in Him and do what is required. Then stand firm in your faith and watch as it all comes to pass.
BE BLESSED
