Thoughtful Things

Stephanie Blume Pastor wife

Everyone, whether they realize it or not, acts in faith every day. When we get in a car, we place trust in the drivers around us to drive safely so we can arrive at our destination. When you order food from your favorite restaurant, you have faith that the chef is preparing your meal properly. If you look at the weather on your phone and decided you don’t need a jacket, you are putting faith in the weather forecast.

The Bible say in Hebrews 11: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hope is faith in action!

We place our faith in countless people and things. We believe our legs will support us, so we get out of bed. We believe our brakes will enable our car to stop, so we drive. We believe our boss will pay us, so we show up for the job. When we have faith in something, our behavior is affected. We act out of faith.

The opposite of faith is fear. We can choose one or the other. Imagine a world in which car brakes only worked half the time. We would be terrified at every intersection. God is infinitely more reliable than the finest car on the market, but we don’t treat Him that way. Our faith seems to extend just beyond our ability even though God is able to do infinitely more than we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20). We hope for good when God promises the best.

God is able to do infinitely more than we can imagine.

Matthew 8 is full of the fulfillment of God’s promises in people’s lives. If we really have faith that God works in these ways, it radically changes the way we live our lives. We are willing to address sin we’ve brushed under the rug because Jesus forgives and heals. We will step out and risk something for God because we know He’ll provide for us (Philippians 1:6). Faith like this eliminates fear because our faith is in a certainty: Jesus.

When we are afraid to address an area of sin in our life and be obedient t o God’s call, it is because we doubt the truth of God’s promises. Our faith is limited by our need to believe we are better equipped than God to manage our issues. Fear of condemnation and failure overtake us. God offers freedom from fear through faith in Him.

Visit The Family Church in service at 9456 Hwy 146 N Hardin, TX or facebook live at @tfchardin.