Most Awesome God, Your Word tells me that faith is the substance of things I hope for, the evidence of things not seen. This tells me that faith is not an “outer physical” thing, but an “inner knowing” that something is true and/or will happen according to Your will in the future. It is built on my trust in You and my belief that Your Word is true. Faith helps me resist the doubt that tries to creep into my thoughts and pushes me toward impatience which causes me to crumble when my answers do not come as quickly as I expect. When I think of faith, the words “sure” and “certain” come to mind. My faith is the belief in Your character and the fact You do what You say You will do. It is a manifestation of my belief in Your promises and the fact You will keep them. When I can believe that You will fulfill Your promises even though I do not see them materialize before my eyes, I am demonstrating real faith.
No one will have a legitimate excuse for living short of what You intended for them because every man has been given the measure of faith. It is up to each of us to water and cultivate it so it will grow. It is Your power in faith that helps me do what seems impossible. You have said that “without faith it is impossible to please God” … and, therefore, miss out on His blessings. I realize that faith is what helps me see “real” truth and respond to it. It sets me free to believe more deeply and grow my faith. When I have faith, I’ve chose to put my trust in You and thereby wield the power You give me through believing. To receive the benefits of faith you’ve made the way clear. I must first ask … and, to ask, I must believe. The keys to receiving are asking … seeking … and knocking. Each of these steps take me deeper into my relationship with You and causes me to move beyond hearing to doing.
You encourage me to believe in God and not doubt and I would reap the fruit of what I placed my faith in. Sometimes it requires my crying out to You both day and night before I receive it. When I contemplate this, I think of the two blind men who cried out to You multiple times “have mercy on me” before You removed their blindness. Persistence, not babbling, is what You seek. You have made it clear in Your Word that all things are possible to those who believe. A lack of faith precludes answers to my requests. Worry and fear are the worst enemies of a vibrant faith because they blind me of my ability to see and recognize truth. You tell me multiple times not to be afraid or worry because they both suppress my faith. Faith thaws out the icy panic that comes into my life when I fear and sets me free to move forward in my response to Your call. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.