Living Faith

Faith: what does it mean? Does it mean trust, belief or hope? Faith is each of these and all of these. Faith is like a muscle; it grows and develops the more it is stressed and stretched.

We can put our faith in many things. Some put their faith in their money and think, "If I have enough money, I will never want for anything. Then I will truly be happy." Some put their faith in people thinking, "So and so will never let me down," only to find out that their faith has been misplaced. Some will put their faith in the status they hold thinking, "If I become a big-time star or get that new position at work, then I can stop worrying and really be happy." I could go on and I'm sure you can think of some yourself. However, money gets spent, people mess up and the higher your pedestal, the further you have to fall.

Any time we put our faith anywhere other than in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we are headed for a fall. We will be hurt and disappointed. Sometimes it may feel like the pain will never go away and the hurt can never be repaired. Some of you may be saying, "I've put my faith in Him before and it didn't work for me. What makes this time any different? Why should I believe this?

To begin with, putting your full faith in Him means putting your wants and wishes aside. It means letting go of your hopes and dreams and beginning with a clean heart and mind, focused on His will for your life. Psalm 139 tells us that God created each one of us "one stitch at a time." He created us with a plan and a purpose (Jeremiah  29:11). If we are praying for what we want without knowing what His plan is for us, we are praying in vain. However, when we can lay aside our selfish desires and focus on the One who knows us most intimately, then we can begin to live up to our full potential and be filled with joy that is not dependant on the circumstances that are our lives.

Will you let go? Will you submit your life to the Father? Will you look to Jesus to leads you by the power of the Holy Spirit so you may have life to the full as it is intended to be (John 10:10)? If you are ready, seek the Lord and pray. Take the time and ask Him to forgive you for trying to do it your own way. Thank Him for your life and pray that He will reveal His plan to you for your life. Have faith in the promise that He has created you for a plan and a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11) and wait on the Lord to reveal the truth to you. May He bless you abundantly for your obedience.

In Him,
Natalie