3 Unexpected Faith-Builders

by Texas Stready

Woke up to 45° weather. Burrrr…

Hardly what you’d call freezing, unless you live in Florida—and I do. This thought made me wonder. Is what we believe related to our location?

We can talk ourselves into anything, but God’s Word is accurate no matter what we’re convinced of. In other words, saying “I’m freezing” in 45° weather is a long way from being frozen.

Take Note

Life gets complicated. There are a multitude of variable issues that constantly invade our belief systems – wounded hearts, misunderstood actions, and unexplainable events. And that’s just naming a few. Details may differ, but spiritual location is what determines our personal truth.

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 5:8). This is absolutely true, but lack of union with Christ can twist this cord of encouragement into a noose of despair.

Example

I spent decades believing that using drugs would rid me of negative feelings. Holding on to that wrong concept made problems worse. I knew I didn’t deserve forgiveness and that fact saturated my soul with shame. My truth was killing me.

Discarding wrong calculations is a great way to get on course. Although details vary, cause and effect does not. Falling down is painful, but missing a step doesn’t do near the damage diving headlong from a cliff does.

“Duh” you may say, but a 10 month old could never comprehend this. You see, our frame of reference is formed from experience. Confidence in God is dependent on our perception of His nature. Seeing with accuracy insists we let go of the past and walk into our intended future. This action requires faith.

Here are three unexpected faith-builders that will lead you in the right direction.

#1 There’s always a choice.

Horrible things happen. It’s true. Sure doesn’t seem like the people locked in Hitler’s concentration camps had much of a choice—but they did. All day every day they had to make choices. Does God love me? Is there hope? Will I keep forgiving?

If you read interviews of different people who survived the Holocaust, you can easily decipher the choices they made. Proving, not only is there always a choice, but what we choose directly affects the outcome of our lives.

Faith is strengthened by our choices.

#2 One step at a time.

Breathless. That’s what we become if we look at the work instead of the Source. God is here for you. The most intricate details of your life matter to Him.

One of the enemy’s craftiest attacks has to do with impatience. Life demands endurance. If we don’t pace ourselves we burn out. Exhaustion’s been known to take out many a fine sprinter. Running a race of any kind requires we focus on the next step—not the finish line. Faith is what gives us the ability to do just that. (Philippians 4:13)

Faith grows with each achievement.

#3 Stability is necessary.

Balance is a very inviting concept to us. It sounds so much like what’s needed. Doesn’t it? The world is packed with fantastic ideas, making our search for stability a dangerous gamble. Happy mediums keep us dependent on self.

In Proverbs 3:5-6, the Bible clearly states that our ability lacks insight. I don’t know about you, but I have no interest in a high wire act. Especially not one where I’m the main attraction.

Faith keeps us connected to Christ.

Arrive Alive

No one deserves forgiveness(Romans 5:8), but nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). Welcoming these truths sharpened my focus.

Where you live, in the Spirit, directly effects what you believe, and what you believe fills your mind with either hope or defeat. Fellowship with Christ is a flawless life map. If you follow His guidance, Faith becomes the voice on your GPS that says, “You have arrived at your intended destination.”