"These (talking about trials, life circumstances) have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." - 1 Peter 1:17
Our faith is of greater worth than gold, but for it to be actually worthwhile, it has to be proved genuine. The other day I was reading something that really stuck with me: "We are like a child playing with dolls, pretending to have a tea party: 'Okay, let's pour the tea now.' There is no teapot, but we pretend to pour the tea and drink it. That is how we, as Christians, relate to faith, but faith is not pretending. Faith becomes our new sense that allows us to perceive what really does exist" (Gary Hargrave, Obtain the Promises, Chpt 4). When I read that, it was like a light bulb went off in my head How many times have I claimed to have faith, but have just been pretending?
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through
faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so
that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." - Hebrews 11:1-3 KJV
"The
fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is
the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s
our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished
our ancestors, set them above the crowd. By faith, we see the world called into existence by God’s word, what we see created by what we don’t see." - Hebrews 11:1-3 MSG
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By
faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God,
so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible." -
Hebrews 11:1-3 NASB
What does it mean to have assurance of things hoped for? Here are a few definitions of assurance: 1) a promise or pledge; guaranty; surety 2) full confidence; freedom from doubt; certainty 3) freedom from timidity; self-confidence; belief in one's abilities. So faith is having the full confidence that what God said is true and being free to believe without doubts assailing.
Wow, mind blown! Imagine that...having full freedom from doubts. Having complete freedom from timidity. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:7 NLT). Let me repeat that, living a life with full freedom from doubt. No more thoughts popping in your head during the day. Did I do a good enough job? But what about this? Or that? Am I enough? Those lies that Satan plants in your mind. POOF! GONE! Vanished into thin air never to be heard again! With full freedom from doubt, instead of lies filling our head we have the truth - Jesus (John 14:6).
Faith is not pretending to
pour a tea and drink it. It is actually seeing things created out of
that which is not visible. Today is the day I want to stop pretending and have genuine faith. Faith that allows me to perceive that which really exists.
"That's All Folks!"
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