More than occasionally, Christians are guilty of responding to someone’s pain or discourse with phrases like, “just have faith”, or have you heard (or said yourself) “take a leap of faith.
But is it really that simple?
Can we make a causal decision about faith?
Where in the bible does it tell you about faith?
Faith is used 336 times in the King James Version and 458 times in the New International Version.
Faith is a big deal. So, it is probably safe to say it is a big deal to God.
Tim Mackie, in my opinion, is one of the greatest Bible teachers and the co-founder of the Bible Project. He stands on the premise that our faith can be strengthened by hearing the testimony of others, receiving guidance from the biblical community, and by a transfer of trust from self to God. It makes sense, but let us be honest, the last one is the one that I struggle with the most - a transfer of trust from self to God. He also says that faith is not just a state of mind but an experience.
How does a transfer of trust happen when it is wrapped up in an experience? Well, I believe it all starts with a promise that God is who He says He is. God is all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present, and all-good. He can be trusted. But, let us be honest, there are moments where you are not looking for His resume and whether He has skills (which He does), but you need Him to be all those things in every way.
There are times in our lives when we do not know where to turn. In those moments, God is asking you to trust Him, and allow His peace to transcend over every situation, especially when we are lost, hurt, incapable of getting out of our way, or even know how to be.
More than 2 years ago, I was involved in a near-fatal accident as a pedestrian. I was crossing that street and a distracted driver hit me, without even a streak in his brakes. I suffered a severe amount of trauma to the left side of my body, and today, I know that I am a walking miracle. Literally. I do not know at what point my transfer of trust happened, but I know that God orchestrated every step in my recovery, and He still is. At some point, there was a shift in my mind that went from “why me” to “why not me”.
If I believe God to be all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present, and all-good, then why would He not work this out for my good. Do not get me wrong, there are some days that I am mentally exhausted and overwhelmed with chronic pains that I may live with for the rest of my life. But I am still here. And, if I am still here, God must have a plan. And, if faith starts with reason and grows with faithful actions and behaviors, I have work to do. Whether it is sharing my story in the hopes of encouraging someone or being intentional about helping someone discover their trust as I walk in mine. Life is hard. But, trusting God is a conscious decision, and one that we must make every day, sometimes minute by minute. But it is worth it.
The Power of Bold Faith - Hebrews 11:1 TPT
Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.
Wisdom’s Guidance - Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the Lord completely,
and do not rely on your own opinions.
With all your heart rely on him to guide you,
and he will lead you in every decision you make.
6 Become intimate with him in whatever you do,
and he will lead you wherever you go.
