Google tells us that there are 2.3 billion Christians in the world. The scary thing is that the majority of those people who proclaim to be “Christians” are not actively pursuing Jesus every single day. If you truly know Jesus, you know the definition of faith and what it requires.
Contrary to popular belief, faith is not just saying that you believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior. For the first 18 years of my life I claimed to have “faith”, yet I was depressed, anxious, lost, insecure, and hated the world. You might ask why? The answer: I didn’t have REAL FAITH.
What is real faith?
Faith listens more than it talks. Faith does more, it obeys God’s teachings. Faith remembers what it hears and does what should be done. Faith without evidence is dead and useless. Faith controls its tongue. Faith continually seeks wisdom from God’s word. Faith avoids the ways of the world. Faith applies God’s remedies.
One of the most convicting times in my life is when God explained this concept to me. My idea of faith was not rooted on the foundation of God’s character who is unshakable. My faith was thinking that I was created and hoping that believing in a creator meant something. My faith before I learned how to have real faith was lacking.
In The Letter of James in the Bible, I was encouraged to live my faith through works. James is the half-brother of Jesus, writing this letter to encourage Christians whose lives are under trials. He tells us that true faith will be evidenced by works, it should be handled with joy, and produce blessings. Tests come from many different sources, yet God uses them to test our FAITH and strengthen us in areas where we are weak.
“22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” James 1:22-25
STOP, take the time to slow down, and be honest with yourself. Is your faith real? What do you specifically need to do to grow it?
Piece of advice: Pray, read your bible, study the scriptures, spend time alone with God, ask questions to people who are further in their faith than you!
