What is Faith?

On the surface, we may think that faith is simply believing in God. I believe in God. That part is easy. But I struggle with faith. Today, I want to talk about what faith is, explain what the bible has to say about it, and how we can strengthen it.

My parents sent me to the Catholic school in town. I really feel that it had some excellent teachers. Religion was initially taught by our classroom teachers, but eventually moved to Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) classes in the evening. These classes were taught by a variety of ministers and our priest.

I got a lot out of these classes. I also listened every week when my parents went to church. The music and all the rituals were a bit much, but I enjoyed learning about God. Surprisingly though, no one took the time to really explain what faith is or how to have faith. Even in my fifties, I really never thought about it. So what is it?

Defining Faith

After reading a lot of articles and bible passages online along with some prayer time, I think I am finally starting to understand it. There is more to it than just believing in the God and understanding that Jesus died for our sins.

We must commit our lives to the Lord, trust in Him and obey Him. We must humble ourselves and put Him first. When we ask God for assistance, we must be prepared for unexpected answers. We must believe that He knows what is best for us,

This is a lot to ask of someone especially when He does not appear to us. This is where faith comes in. We must believe without seeing. When we see bad things happening in the world around us, we must understand that God is not doing it. God does not hurt us.

Humans sin. We created this mess. And that is why Jesus died for us. The penalty for sin is death. Someone needed to be held accountable. Jesus paid that debt for us. He opened the doorway to our salvation. But our salvation is purchased with our faith in God. We must walk through the door.

Faith has become harder for us with today’s society. We are told to glorify ourselves. We take selfies, brag about our lives on social media and idolize people with the most followers. People tell us to follow the crowd and don’t make waves. More and more people are turning away from God. We are losing our faith.

What does the bible have to say about Faith?

I love the book of James as it contains a lot of wisdom. In chapter 2, James talks about how faith is alone is not enough. It is not enough to know God’s laws. Think about this scenario:

This is not what is meant by helping. The Lord put you in that situation to help. I was in that situation before when my car broke down. It is amazing how fast a car gets cold in Wisconsin during the winter time. I asked a friend for help. They left their job to come pick me up. If they didn’t, I may not have been here today writing this blog.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/James-Chapter-2

That same chapter has another key verse. Verse 19 reinforces God’s commandment that there is only one God. The part I love is that he says that the devils also believe and tremble. We forget that part. Satan and his devils know that God exists and that they can’t win in the upcoming battle. They know there is no redemption for them. They are afraid.

Our next stop is Hebrews 11. It start out by explaining that faith is “The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” It continues by providing example after example of how prophets used faith. It shows how Moses, Abraham and others received the benefits of faith. It reminds us that God looks out for his children.

God has a plan. If we have faith, we choose to be a part of that plan. Our faith guides are actions and molds us into a better version of ourselves.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Hebrews-Chapter-11/

My final biblical example is from 1 Samual:17. This is the famous story of David and Goliath. Goliath is described over several verses as being a warrior of great stature and build. He had years of fighting experience and the best armor he could get. David was a much smaller guy with a sling and stone. However, David had faith in God and God helped guide his shot. Everything is possible with God.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1-Samuel-Chapter-17/

Strengthening Faith

I struggle with my faith everyday. This world will beat you down if you let it. One of the best tools we have is exposure to the Word of God. The more we read the bible and pray the more our faith will grow. Personally, I love to listen to podcasts and audio books while I drive. YouTube also has some good content on it. Just remember that with any social media, you need to fact check. Trust, but verify!

It is also good to socialize with people who believe. Their stories may carry more weight as you have a connection to them. It is important to realize that we are in this together. We all struggle with faith. You can find online communities, join a church, and/or even talk to a neighbor.

One final suggestion is to journal. Write down your thoughts and feelings. Journals provide a written record of your own triumphs and failures. You can see your journey and the growth you have experienced. This in itself is uplifting. It keeps your mind where it should be...with God.

Parting Thoughts

Faith is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it gets. Go easy on yourself. We learn through our failures. The lord forgives our sins if we are truly sorry for them. And with experience, our faith grows deeper and more robust. Just focus on taking one step at a time. You got this!

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