Gotta Have Faith

Read 2 Peter 1:5-8 NIV

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The Bible tells us we are to develop character and spiritual maturity. Sometimes that feels like a tall order, but in 2 Peter there are steps we can learn from. Step one: It starts with FAITH. That might seem simple. If you believe in God- you have faith, right? I have learned a lot over the last few years as God has been working in the dark places of my soul, making is necessary to dig into the Bible to find my answers. One thing that stands out to me when thinking about step one is- sometimes we think we have faith, and maybe we do, but it is often weaker than we think it is. Right now, Christians in other countries are faced with death if they proclaim Jesus' name. The fear they must be experiencing is incomprehensible for us Americans. They are martyrs, while we are too afraid to stand up for Christ on Facebook or with our neighbors or coworkers for fear of a rude comment or two.

During my sanctification journey, I have learned that although I can say that I believe in Jesus, sometimes I deny Him by keeping my mouth shut, by worrying about tomorrow instead of focusing on today, or by trying to have control over my life. As I have caught myself denying Christ in these ways I have had to ask myself-

- Do I really have the strong faith in Him that I think I do?

- Do I have faith that God is in control of our circumstances?

- Do I have faith that God has a plan for my life bigger than I can even imagine?

- Do I have faith that Jesus loves me more than I can comprehend?

- Do I have faith that although I will experience trials, hard days, persecution, sickness, oppression, and even death, it is all worth it if it brings glory to God?

- Do I have faith that the temporary comforts and pleasures that I seek are meaningless and the actions I have taken to advance the gospel will have eternal impact?

The first step is FAITH. The most important step is FAITH. It seems easy but it takes time to grow your faith. Your faith really grows through the whole process discussed in 2 Timothy, it takes a life time of continual growth to become who Jesus wants us to be. So, if it feels overwhelming to start, just start with this: You are deeply loved by your heavenly creator. He knew you and had a plan for you before you were born. You were born into this sinful world as a prisoner to selfishness, sinfulness and corruption. God in His gracious character sent His son Jesus to set you free. You are no longer a slave to your sinful desires and you have been given the mind of Christ. Can you have faith that this is true? Then go deeper.

Friend, take some time to think about those truths listed above. Really think about them. Close your eyes and picture them. Allow them to soak into your heart and your understanding. Picture yourself sitting in a room with Jesus and have a discussion with Him. Surrender your fear. Surrender your desire to control your life and ask Him why it is hard to believe that our discomfort is worth it in the end. Ask Him why it is hard to keep him at the center of our thoughts. Ask Him to help you to see that no matter what tragedy happens on this earth it is all temporary and meaningless. The Holy Spirit will bring comfort. Run to Him in your pain and allow Him to strengthen you FAITH so you can continue your life's mission. Eternity is what we are living for.

Friend, How can you embrace this truth today and let go of your fear to more fully live out your eternal purpose?

Prayer: Father God, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die on the cross to redeem me. Thank you that no matter where I am, you love me with more depth than I even understand. Lord help me to fully embrace your love for me and my love for you. Thank you that growing my faith through this process makes me more like Jesus.