by: Joshua I.
When I was a child, I can still remember my father used to toss me in mid-air and catch me as I fall. I never thought of it as a very dangerous feat but instead I enjoyed the feeling
of flying without ever worrying if my father will catch me or not. With my very innocent and young mind, I trust my father that he will never let me fall. That was one of the fondest moments I shared with my father. Looking back, I now realize that was my first lesson of developing faith.
More than 2,000 years ago, Jesus Himself asks a startling question that left His audience bewildered. He said in Luke 18:8, “… when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” This is a question that begs for an answer. In this instance, Jesus is also prophesying that faith will be a rare virtue at the time of His coming.
What should really concern us is how much faith we do have in God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Are we fully persuaded that what God has promised He will surely made it to pass? Or are we having doubts and hesitations at the back of our mind, being skeptic of what God can do in our lives?
Faith starts with hearing and believing. But it should not remain stagnant. As what James sarcastically mentioned, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble (James 2:19).” Faith is more than just believing. It is a belief that can influence every single decision you make and can change the way you operate your life. Just like the mustard seed, it should be planted so that it will grow. God expects us to have both a believing and working faith that can even move and conquer mountains.
The Bible defines faith as the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Humanly speaking, what the Bible states might be hard to grasp but with the Holy Spirit working in us, we start to understand that faith and hope has a very strong correlation. You do not hope for something that is already there. The same with faith, it is the proof of things that are not seen, having the strongest confidence that what the Bible says is absolutely true and nothing should be held in skepticism.
I came in one point in my life that I developed an unshakable faith to God. It was during my first year in college when my faith was tested. That time, I was facing the red sea of my life with nowhere to go. My scholarship is at stake, my life is in jeopardy, and my future is definitely growing dark and drear. My professor asked me to compromise with my belief and to attend a school activity on the Sabbath. It does not make sense to me why God wanted me to fail my subject and instead attend Sabbath services that will not give me good grades. At least that was the way I see things. Little I do know God is testing the “genuineness of my faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
When we put God first in our life, no matter what the consequences are, we start to live more by faith and less by sight. By using our eyes of faith, we can see God’s promises from afar off and be assured of it and embrace it. We may lose our houses, our school, career, friends, or family for the sake of following God but we must never lose faith! It is through faith that we can please God. It is through faith that we can be healed. It is through faith that we can translate our beliefs into actions and ultimately help us seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
As we read the Bible, we can read many passages about God’s unending love and faithful promises. Should we remain skeptic and doubt God of what He can do in our life if only we let go of the wheel and let Him drive our life? Or are we willing to make the sweetest surrender and submit our life into His loving hands? As long as we have the faith to carry on, we can have the full assurance and firm belief that God will never fail to keep His promises. Jesus said that heaven and earth may pass away but His word will still remain. Do you believe what Jesus said?
There will be many struggles and obstacles in our life. But God is faithful that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Sometimes in our life, God may ask us something that we do not understand. He asks us to step out of our comfort zone and make a jump of faith into the unknown. It is only in that time when God, the Supreme Being who created the vast universe, will provide a stepping stone or better yet, wings for us to fly. God did not promise us a life free of worries and problems but He promised us that He will be with us through it all. Though we might fall, we know that God, in His infinite wisdom, has perfect reasons He let that happened.
As long as we are in God’s side, we will never be defeated. We can always look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, for additional strength and courage. We must never stop in believing and doing what God requires us. Because one day, if we endure and persevere until the end, we will come before the presence of God and gladly hear Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant… Enter into the joy of your Lord”.
