I am thankful, O Gracious One, that through Your patience and nurturing I have been given the tools to walk by faith and less by what I see. As a result, I move forward with confidence and less fear when circumstances do not go the way I want. Through Your keeping of Your promises, I know I can stand on what You say and trust it will be done. Because of my relationship with You, my courage and strength have expanded to the point where I can walk uprightly and overcome whatever evil places before me. Faith has shined light on Your truths and helped me power through problems that once stymied me. Faith in You has replaced the doubt that held me in bondage and caused me to live in darkness. I now possess the hope and confidence I need to overcome worry and anxiety. If I feel our closeness waning, I know I can seek You in Your Word … and it becomes the fuel to power me through what I am facing.
As I have gone through life, I’ve found that faith has given substance to the things I’ve hoped for and provided me with the assurance that, whenever I ask with the right motive and intent, I’ll receive whatever I asked for. The beginning of my faith starts with a deep belief in You as God … in other words, You are who You say You are. And the end point is my belief in Your promises … in other words, You will do what You say You will do. As I begin to trust that You will fulfill Your promises even though I do not see them materializing, I am demonstrating “true” faith. Many things speak to me of the surety and certainty of believing in You. You created everything in the universe from nothing and the power of Your words … You healed the sick and raised the dead … You walked on water and calmed seas … You gave Your life for me. What other evidence do I need to convince me that You are real?
My walk by faith has shown me that if … I fix my eyes on You, strive to throw off the things that hinder me, reject the sins that hold me captive, and work out my salvation with diligence … then I will find peace and prosperity for my life. As I consider what You endured for my sake, I am compelled to answer Your call, persevere in faith, and not lose heart when I go through difficult times. When things get tough, I need to seek You and reflect on Your words that offer me encouragement. You’ve given me a purpose and a race to run. With that mission comes all of the strength, courage and fortitude I need to succeed. I’ve come to understand that faith is my pathway to You and Your awesome gifts. When I let doubt creep into my life, my pathway becomes blocked and I flounder for direction and fulfillment. I can only complete my race if I live by faith in You alone. And it’s in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN!!
Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you received Christ, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught …