What Kind of Faith Do We Have?

Faith.

Our faith. It seems to waffle and waver so much these days. We seem to flounder so easily when God doesn’t swoop in and deliver us from _______ (insert your request into that space.)

It’s as if we only want to love and serve God if He says “yes” to us. Our faith is only vibrant if God comes through for us.

What kind of faith is that? To only trust when we are spared or rescued?

I know….I KNOW that my faith is strengthened when I have to go through tough and challenging things. I don’t like them. They are hard on me. But I know that God refines me through those fires in my life.  And my faith grows stronger so that the next fire I go through, I’m not quite as easily shaken. Not quite as moveable by satan. Not quite as tempted.

Because I’ve learned. I’ve grown. I have not caved.  If I cave; then I have to go through that same lesson again. And again. And again. And I can see why people abandon their faith. For we just want easy. We want the “rescue.” We want the healing.

And it doesn’t always come.

I look to the men and women in the Bible and I see how they had such a strong, solid faith. They believed in God with steadfast hearts and so often, He delivered them. But when He did not, they still trusted. Sure, they may have cried out to Him. They may have gotten discouraged – but they still served Him.  And so often God rewarded them for that.

You see, faith is not conditional. It’s not temporary. You can’t put it on a shelf and grab it only when the occasion demands it. Faith is a lifestyle. It’s a choice. It’s something you ARE.  Faith is something you reach inside and find when God doesn’t heal. It’s something you cling to when God says “no.” And it’s something that helps you rebuild when He doesn’t spare you pain.

What kind of a faith do we have?

How much do we love this God we serve?