To be perfectly honest… there are times when you may ‘feel’ that you are operating on little or no faith, I know I do. That truly is a terrible place to be in because all you seem to accomplish is running in circles. My experience is that running in circles, other than not getting you anywhere, leaves you exhausted. However, before you capitulate… stop, assess, and most importantly – seek the Lord. One of the most famous prayers has always been, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.”
For me, to be without faith means that there is no spice and flavor to the day. Everything is a bit flatter and meaning doesn’t exist. That’s part of my definition of ‘without faith’. Faith really is a bulwark and we all need this because we all feel and face times that seem, to us, to be more than we can handle. Without faith it is impossible to move. Typically self pep talks don’t work or don’t last. This is why we need to be able to stand strong on our foundation of faith, a faith that we know, that we’ve experienced.
Another interesting aspect of faith is found in the statement that, ” Without faith, it is impossible to please God…” (Hebrews 11:6) The remainder of that verse is important too but just considering this phrase, what does this tell us? Simply that we should never come to the Father without an assurance on our part that we come in faith… believing, even if this is as small as a grain of mustard seed (Luke 17:6). Then again, why come if we don’t believe? Perhaps it’s also a statement that we need to believe in our faith. This is also when we should review the experiences/times that faith held us strong.
Bottom line is that without faith we won’t go anywhere. If you feel empty and nothing seems to work, consider the scriptures that talk about faith and know them so well that they trip off your tongue. “Faith is the substance… the evidence…” (Hebrews 11;1) And one of my personal favorites, “…God has dealt to each one a measure of faith…” (Romans 12:3) You can build yourself up in confidence by reciting them – scripture is a powerful weapon against fear and hopelessness.
