Spiritual Virtues: Faith

Spiritual Virtues-Faith Know that HE is GOD; fear nothing else.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Heb 11:1

Faith and Hope are often confused one for the other, but they are kind of like twin sisters.  They look similar because they are of the same family, but are completely unique from each other at the same time.  The “family resemblance” is that both faith and hope are expressions of our relationship with the unseen reality (the supernatural). However, hope describes our desire for something to be a certain way; while faith describes our confident expectation and belief that it actually is a certain way.  Very often faith begins as hope (We “hope” GOD is real, for example).  As evidence emerges and experiences grow our hope converts to an unshakable personal faith (I KNOW GOD is real).  Others may not be able to understand how or why we have faith where they at best have hope, but it often comes down to personal experiences.  If you are seeking to convert your hope in GOD to a faith in HIM, reposition yourself to be fully open to an experience of HIM (Sitting in a church pew with arms crossed during worship is not a posture inviting experience as walking up front with arms raised would be, for example).

We are free to have faith in anything we choose.  The trouble with this is most things are not worthy of faith.  The bible describes the most common of these unworthy things as “the deceitfulness of wealth” and says, “You cannot serve both GOD and money”.  Bible believing Christians everywhere will say, “Amen!” while at the same time struggling with even the simple principal of tithing to say nothing of a truly sacrificial life-style.  There are many things in which we can place our faith inappropriately.  My intention here is only to list some examples… some trust is money for provision, doctors for healing, friends for encouragement, intellect for knowledge, experience for wisdom, intimidation for protection, volume for influence, muscles for strength, and pets for unconditional love.  Many of these are wonderful things, but each of them can fail us.  GOD will not fail us and HE should be our first trusted resource.  HE will often send us to utilize good things HE has put into our lives, but when they take HIS place of faith, it is misplaced.

HE is holy, all knowing, all powerful, perfectly just, truthful, completely loving, and trustworthy.

Assignment:

Practice turning to GOD first for all of your wants, needs, and desires because HE alone is most worthy of your faith.  This is NOT a test to see if HE will give you everything you want in the way and time you want; because quite frankly HE will NOT.  You see, HE is GOD and you are not.  HE knows much better than you do and HE loves you.  HIS timing, HIS ways, HIS answers are always better for you than what you want.  Trusting this to be true is the true test of YOUR FAITH, not HIS faithfulness. 

Practice this until it becomes a part of who you are…and then move on to humility.