When your Faith starts to fade
I woke up this morning and had a wonderful quiet time with God. He led me to a couple of Christian TV shows that I tape and watch for encouragement and inspiration. It’s cold here so I was back in bed with the heating blanket on and hot coffee near by. Of course, my journal was open and my pen was at hand. As I watched, God seemed to say to me…………….
Your faith has started to fade again.
It’s true. It had. I had hardily even noticed. It’s a slow decline to despair. You don’t always recognize it. It’s a gradual slipping of sorts. You kind of loose your footing. Your eyes aren’t up on God, but back down on your circumstances, interactions and problems. And it’s not that really anything “bad” has happened, it’s just that we start to base our lives again on what we understand, what we see around us, and how we are feeling. All three are very slippery slopes for me.
“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 [+/-]
Do you have things or people in your life that don’t seem to be going anywhere? It’s the long journey. A marriage? A child? A relationship? A chronic medical or health issue? A financial burden?
It’s not as easy as saying “pray for it or her or him” and everything will be ok. Everything will turn out alright. Sometimes, many times, the Lord seems to have us continue with endurance and with faith.
These may seem simple, but this is where God took me this morning……..
1. Ask others to pray.
2. Confess your doubts.
3. Do not speak ill of people.
4. Remember how great God is.
5. Seek God.
“The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.” Psalm 145:13 [+/-]
In Beth Moore’s teaching series entitled “Living Beyond Yourself-Exploring the Fruit of the Spirit”, she talks about faith as firm persuasion, conviction, belief in the truth, veracity and reality (what is real). The meaning carries the idea of giving someone credit (i.e. God). Faithfulness is believing in the reality of a sovereign God. He is believable.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 [+/-]
Faith is believing without seeing. Without knowing the whole picture, the whole story, the ending. God as Creator never gave us conclusive evidence to prove to all humankind that He is real. The questions that remain force the issue of faith. What would happen to you, to me, if we took that step of faith and believed without seeing everything about our lives, the people in them, the circumstances that seem to not change despite our efforts, our desires, even our beliefs? What if we had faith in God? Completely?
True faith takes action. Action results in transformation. Transformation builds character. Feelings and perceptions are not a basis of faith. Faith comes from listening to God. God’s Word is always true. It may take a long time. And it may be painful, even excruciating. But God always has our destination in mind.
“The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast forever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprighteousness.” Psalm 111:7-8 [+/-]
Satan will stop at nothing to get us to stop believing, causing our faith to fade. And it won’t happen all at once. Over time, we will start to wonder, have doubts, take things and situations into our own hands. It will seem at the time like the “logical” thing to do. We will start to rely on ourselves. Forgetting about God and who He is and what He has done in our lives and what He is doing. And slowly, our faith will start to fade.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Isaiah 55:8 [+/-]
So, I go back to the notes in my journal this morning and I reminded to ask others to pray for me, confess where I am lacking in faith, resist the temptation to speak poorly of others, look around and remember how great God is and seek God in all situations, all day, everyday.
“It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me?” Isaiah 50:9 [+/-]
“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 [+/-]
When your faith starts to fade, just start again and seek God.
Believing that prayer changes all things, Kris
