Faith.  It’s an abstract concept.  Recently, I’ve been connecting some dots regarding faith and I’d like to share them with you.  Come, connect these dots with me and we’ll find that it reveals a map outlining a path forward for every believer.

Hebrews 11:1 gives us a definition of faith: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”  Faith is a confident trust.  It is not simply knowledge or belief.  The scriptures also reveal that believers have different quantities of faith.  But one truth is key to understanding faith: faith is always a gift from God.  Faith is initiated by God as He reveals Himself to a person.  Faith cannot be created on our own.  It is God’s work.  Once a person accepts the gift of faith, it becomes theirs.  For example, let’s say I made you some cookies as a present.  The moment you accepted the gift, they became your cookies even though I made them.  The same is true of faith.  Faith can only come from God, and He gifts it to His people.

James expands on faith, showing us that living faith is a faith that shows itself.  True faith is lived out and demonstrated, not simply lip service.  James 2:17 states, “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  James goes on to use Abraham as an example of living out faith.  He says in verse 22, “You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.”  The NASB states it this way, “You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected.”

How interesting.  Faith can come to a point of perfection or completion?  How?  But before we get to that, we need to address what comes next.  James goes on to reference Genesis 15:6, “Abraham believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”  Interestingly, as I was studying this passage in James, we also discussed it as an example in my biblical Hebrew class.  The verb believed in this verse is used in such a way that it can indicate a past continual or repeated action.  In other words, it could also be translated as, “Abraham kept on believing…”  This would certainly be backed up by the scriptures as Abraham’s first recorded act of faith was in Chapter 12, when he left his father’s household and traveled to a distant land.  The reference in Genesis 15:6 was not even Abraham’s last (or possibly greatest) act of faith.  This verse records his response to God’s promise of a son.

Faith is something we keep on doing, we continue to act upon.  When we act based on God-given faith, God will always prove Himself faithful.  We will see Him confirm Himself in our lives and uphold us.  This is where faith is perfected.  God completes the cycle.  And yes, it is a cycle!  Because once our faith is perfected, God reveals more of Himself for us to stand upon.

So, why is this so important?  What makes this more than just another cycle chart?  First of all, this highlights the fact that you cannot muster up more faith.  It’s not of yourself, so stop trying so hard and surrender to Him.  Confess your lack of faith and simply ask for the faith needed in your situation.

Secondly, we can see how faith grows.  Yes, we are all allotted different amounts of faith, but we are not to be stagnant!  Our faith is designed to grow.  Our part is to stand on and live out of the faith we have been given.  God honors that and matures us through this process.  If we don’t stand on what we have, there’s no traction for moving forward.

I realize today’s post was more of an intellectual venture, but I pray this goes beyond words and charts.  May you view your faith as a continual adventure of growth.  Faith is like the muscles of the spirit.  When you use it, it strengthens.  If you let it sit, it atrophies.  Our part in the faith cycle is small.  Follow God’s lead.  Take what He’s teaching you and live it.

Digging into faith this week:
Hebrews 11:1-12:3
James 2:14-26
Galatians 5:22-25
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
Ephesians 2:8-10