This week I’m thrilled to again have my friend, Laurie Driesen here to share words of wisdom and faith. I pray you’ll be blessed by her words!
Many people experience a surge of faith when they face a problem, sickness or other difficulty. When there’s nowhere else to turn, they feel compelled to look to the Lord and place their hope in Him. But God wants more than “once in a while” faith…. He calls us to live by faith! (Galatians 3:11)
This isn’t just a nice suggestion. The Bible goes even further by telling us in Hebrews 11:6, “…and without faith it is impossible to please God.”
Faith isn’t ignoring the reality of what we see around us, it is lifting our eyes above the circumstances and on to God. We acknowledge that there is a greater power in full operation, above our pain and difficulty. So we lift our eyes in faith and confidence, knowing that God is sovereign and in full control of the world. His plan is bigger than my limited understanding of my circumstances. The final answer to my personal problems and the world’s complex events rests with God.
Living by faith isn’t the same as positive thinking. No… faith is a strong belief in the sure foundation of the truth of God’s Word and an unwavering trust that is based on who God is.
Living by faith is a whole new way of life!
I strive to live in this new way of life. I don’t want to settle for the “once in a while” surge of faith when life is hard. I want to be confident and steady in my faith every day! But there have been times in my Christian walk when although I believed in God, I didn’t live by faith. I made choices based on my own understanding of my circumstances rather than choosing to live by the truth of God’s Word. Inevitably, I have experienced the painful consequences of those choices.
But through any wrong choices and mistakes I’ve made, I have persevered in seeking the Lord and striving to learn by studying His Word. Over the years, the more I read and study Scripture, the stronger and more unwavering my faith becomes.
This is how faith grows!
Living by faith is not an impossible goal that is out of reach. As we place our trust in God and study what He has to say in His Word, we will learn to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
Faith causes me to choose to:
Make God a priority in my life
Read the Bible daily and study passages for a deeper understanding of what God has to say
Live in obedience to God’s will – even when I would rather do things my own way
Serve God in the opportunities that He puts in my path
Pray continuously
Regard my life and world events from God’s perspective
It is possible to live by faith
We can learn to live by faith every day because it is God’s will that we persevere in placing our hope and confidence in Him!
Laurie Driesen is a writer and entrepreneur. She is the author of Beyond Regret – Living Your Life Purpose in Spite of Past Choices. The book discusses missed opportunities, the “why” behind our mistakes, how regret can help us, and preventing future regret. Beyond Regret sheds light on God’s true will and purpose for us and how we can live it out no matter where we are today.
Through her writing, she seeks to share the truth of God’s Word and help others grow spiritually. Laurie’s blog can be found on her website: www.silverpathresources.com
I have learned that faith is like a muscle. The first few times you stretch it, it hurts. But once you learn to push past the feelings of fear and doubt (not wait until they subside), then your faith muscle will get stronger, and it will be a little easier and then a little easier to keep taking the next step in faith. You can move in faith regardless of your feelings.
What a great picture of how faith grows! Thanks so much for sharing that, Lila! Blessings!
Love that correlation of faith being like a muscle. How true, it does need to be exercised and it will get stronger! Thank you Lila, I’m going to remember that good example!