That is Faith

Hebrews 11:1 & 2

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

The word faith means to have complete trust, or a belief, or a confidence in someone.  For me, that someone is God.  He is the only person in whom I have hope and in whom I have complete trust.  I met God, accepted Him into my heart, believed in who He said He was, and then faith (trust, belief, confidence) began to grow within me.  Year by year, experience upon experience.  It does not waver.  That is faith.

The other night, once again, my mind went spiraling out of control as I sat with friends discussing the famous Paul in the Bible.  There are many instances recorded during Biblical times of great men and women of God.  The word faith is used almost 500 times in the Bible depending on which version you read.  That being the case, it seems to me it must be a pretty important aspect of our Christian walk--our faith walk, our foundation, and our very existence.  As we sat talking about Paul's faith in God, I sat there wondering--what about us?  What about now, today, our walk?  Are we or are we not still serving the same God as Paul?  And if so, then why do we question our faith or question what God is doing in our lives?  Why do we sit and wonder--is God using me?  Am I doing His will?  Am I hearing from Him?
To me, faith is fundamental, it is foundational, it should not be questioned.  We, as God's children should walk and do walk in the same faith that Paul walked in.  Some might think that Paul's conversion experience was so fantastic that it cemented his faith in God, it was very strong because of all that God did and all that He showed him.  And I am sure that is true.  However, I think that each one of us had an amazing experience too.  It might not be just like Paul's but it was just as exciting.

I am examining my heart this week.  I am asking God--why am I confident in my faith?  I need to pray about this.  I want to know why--why do I feel so different when I hear others talk about their faith.  Why do I feel so strong?  So confident?  I know that I know that God has complete control over my life--I've given Him that control.  I've surrendered to Him.  He is my God.  Period.  That is where my hope, peace, truth, and assurance come from--complete faith in Him.  Isn't that how it should be?  I trust Him with my family, my friends, my home, and while some might criticize me, others who know me well know that I mean what I say.  Through all that I have endured in this life (and remember, I haven't yet shared all of it with you) I still trust God and have complete faith in Him and His ways.  That is faith.

God uses us all the time.  Do we recognize it?  Do we see Him at work?  Do we even notice Him working in our lives on a daily basis?  Because He is there, He is working, and as He works, our faith increases.  Be open, be aware, ask to be used.

I was just thinking about the numerous times that I've been on some business dinners with my husband and while they are all talking business stuff, I am praying.  I am asking God--who have you sat me next to?  Who should I talk to this time?  I've decided to share a story of what happened on one particular evening.  Please note--this has happened to me on almost even single trip or dinner I have gone on.
At a dinner one night I knew, I just knew that the young man sitting next to me needed to talk.  I didn't know anything about him, I had never before met him.  And yet, there was a connection.  He began the conversation with--what do you do for a living?  I told him that I had gone to school for Psychology.  It was funny in a way, there I was trying to explain to one of my husband's co-workers whom I think was Spanish (although if I remember correctly we were in Belgium) that I volunteered doing crisis therapy.  And, even though there were some language barriers, we managed just fine and after a while, he felt at ease and began to confide in me, we talked for hours, all through dinner, all through dessert.  And before the evening ended I told him that I would be praying for him.  I still pray for him to this day.  Something happened that evening, something changed in the man's heart.  God was at work.  At the beginning, I had a choice.  Do I step out in faith and listen and share and let God minister to him?  Or do I stay quiet?  What would you have done?  Yes, sometimes it's scary, sometimes it's emotional, sometimes it's hard, but all the time God is there with me, right beside me, guiding me, telling me just what to say or do.  Leading me.  And I trust Him.  Completely.  God is ready to use us all the time, He waits patiently for us to listen and then He says GO!  That is faith.

You see--I think I am the kind of person that wakes up in the morning and instead of asking--God?  Are you there?  I yell out--Here I am God!  And with the exuberance of a 6-year-old little girl, I look at Him with anticipation and continue yelling--look at me, look at me.  Look what I just made, or did or discovered!  Look Father--looky what I did!!!  I am determined in my heart to please Him.  To make Him proud of me, to show Him that I love Him.  To jump up and down in pure delight.  Spinning around and around in the sunlight, arms raised high, a smile on my face and a love deep in my heart.  Just like my kids did when they were little.  Look at me mom, look what I just did--mom, mom, mom.  

Faith--it's free-falling while hanging on, all at the same time.  It's holding tightly with utter abandon.  It's a hard concept to convey but a very easy (yes, I just said easy) one to live out.  Maybe it comes from being so young when I met Him--that faith of a child, who curled up on her dad's lap, snuggled in for the duration, sitting in complete and total peace, and safely resting for the first time.  For me, that peace, that faith, that feeling of comfort and assurance--I know that He knows what's best for me, and He has never ever left me nor forsaken me.  That is faith.

I call out, He answers.  I listen for His voice, He speaks.  I trust Him completely, He takes care of me.  Always.  Do I ever doubt Him?  No.  Really?  No, I never do.  Do I always like what He wants me to do or say or go or whatever, no, I do not.  However, I do it anyway.  Sometimes tearfully, sometimes joyfully, sometimes slowly, while stomping my feet and pouting but always, always obediently and in faith.  Believing.  Knowing.  Trusting.  He is after all the great I AM.  And by faith I will serve Him.  He is my God.  He is the same today, yesterday and forever.   Do I trust Him?  Yes, yes I do.  That is faith.