Understanding how much faith impacts our walk with God can be difficult. If we’re honest, we can all attest to not having the most vigorous faith when needed or reacting to situations with emotion rather than belief. However, I’ve learned that the more I embrace the challenge of growing in faith, the more he gives.
A few months ago, we were in the process of selling our home. We put the house on the market and were blessed with multiple offers. After selecting a buyer, we began the daunting task of packing and clearing out the house. All was going well until the week before closing.
I got up early, walked out to the back deck area, and was immediately hit with a putrid garbage smell. Mind you; we had the home inspected from top to bottom with little to no issues being found. I walked the yard to see if an animal had died but found nothing. We also asked our neighbors if they were experiencing the smell, but they were not. Two days later, without resolution, I informed our realtor so she could inform the buyers before their final walk thru. At that point, I was a nervous wreck; I couldn’t understand why this was happening now when everything had gone so well up to this point.
That night I broke down as I prayed because I knew I wasn’t handling the situation as God wanted me to. As I cried and prayed, I heard, “you are a peculiar people.” I finished praying and thought about the words we are a peculiar people. God had brought to my attention that he wanted me to act in a manner that was the opposite of how I had been reacting to the situation. So I told my husband we needed to go into the yard and pray. As we prayed, we walked the entire yard and laid hands on the house’s outer walls from front to back, declaring victory in the name of Jesus. The next day I got up early, opened the back door, stepped out, and breathed in. The smell disappeared! I ran back inside, grabbed my husband, and we both jumped for joy, knowing God had changed the outcome because we began to operate in faith through prayer and belief. We sold the home on time that following week with no further issues.
GOD LEADS US TO GREATER FAITH
We experience situations like these because God loves to bring us a greater understanding of faith and trust in him. The Bible tells us just how important faith is to God. Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek him.”
God’s first act upon creation itself was demonstrated in faith! God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. The very definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:3 further confirms, “By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”
UNBELIEF LIMITS OUR FAITH
So, what prevents us from operating in faith if God holds faith in high regard and operates in faith? The first and most notable reason is unbelief. In the book of Mark, there is a story of a young boy possessed by a deaf and dumb spirit. The boy’s father seeks Jesus to help his son, not realizing the encounter would also change his life.
“So he asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From Childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us. Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately, the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:21-24)
This father’s desperation caused him to be honest and shout out the root cause of the problem, doubt mixed with unbelief. He did not let doubt overtake his need for Jesus to help his unbelief. Notice that Jesus did not chastise him but met him right where he was with the measure of faith he had. Jesus honored him by healing his son and changing his life forever.
OPERATING IN SELF RELIANCE
Another opposition to faith is operating in self-reliance. When we were toddlers, we were taught to stand and walk. To do for ourselves, to solve life’s problems, and do what we think is best. The Bible speaks to this in Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Here’s the problem, when we rely on our ability and resources rather than God’s, we leave little to no room for faith. The Bible tells us that self-reliance and worldly wisdom stem from pride. As believers in Christ, we are to be faith reliant versus self-reliant. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”
No amount of self-effort will ever accomplish what God’s saving grace seeks to fulfill in our lives. The bible tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
So let us draw nearer to God in faith, as we did when we first believed and were saved. “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)
I once heard a story about a man who went ice fishing on a frozen lake in the mountains. The man got up at 3 am, checked the weather forecast, and headed to the lake. When he got there, he noticed other fishermen who had arrived before him and were cautiously standing by the edge of the bank, hesitant to walk on the ice. The man unloaded his gear, got down on his knees, prayed, got up, and strode onto the ice without batting an eye. The man didn’t place his confidence in the ice but in the creator of the lake itself. What makes confidence possible? The trustworthiness of the object of faith. The question is, do we find God trustworthy? We are reminded from this story that faith is measured by the steps of one’s feet-not by feelings or self-reliance.
Can you think of a time when you stepped out in faith rather than rely on your merit? Please comment below.
