Have Faith
It’s one thing to talk (or write) about faith, and another entirely to walk by it.
The good news is right now, in your life, there is a call to faith.
How do I know?
Because living life requires faith.
How do I know this?
Because we all take chances. We all place bets. We do it with money and people, including ourselves. We decide whether or not to trust that some option before us is better than another, and we do this every day, all the time.
What would it actually require to live absent any faith? We would have to possess god-like knowledge and foreknowledge. I’m sorry, even Einstein won’t make this cut.
In fact, the basis of science is faith. It isn’t a faith in God of course, but there has to be faith that the scientific process will bear fruit, otherwise the logical choice would be to do something more enjoyable or meaningful than waste any time in research.
So, what might it look like to intentionally practice faith?
How about this?
The next time you have to make a decision, big or small (most are small) ask these questions first.
What’s the easy way?
What’s the right way?
If the two conflict, then it will be an act of faith to do what is right.
Faith is trusting that as you do the right thing, God will have your back. It doesn’t mean you will be rewarded. It might mean the opposite. By not going along and taking the expedient option you will no doubt upset people. Sometimes these people are powerful or influential. They may even live with you. This could make life extremely difficult. You will likely be misunderstood.
But is it the right thing to do?
Let’s turn it around. Is the expedient thing to do also wrong? Does it harm innocent people?
If the answer is yes then our actions will result in benefits ourselves, but at the cost of harming our own souls or we will choose to do what is right which will spiritually bless us.
These are not easy options at first but over time we can learn the benefits of walking by faith.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
To ask of others it seems best to ask the same of yourself. Determine your success in your walk path as critically as you judge others' walk. Undoubtably your stumbles will shape you and prayfully you will know how to assist others as they stumble as well.
Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they wouldn't bow ans worship the golden image of Nebuchadnezzar. They were given a choice, a second chance. bow when you hear the music or face the furnace. Their response, "we won't do it. even if you throw us in the furnace, our God will save us, and even if he doesn't we will not bow to the image." we know what happened but the choice they made, even though it could have rendered bad results for them, was the correct choice for those who believe.