Faith?

by Keith Gardner

Have you ever described living by faith; trusting in God for something other than the obvious? Try telling someone to believe in a thing that is contrary to what one sees. What does it look like when we are not worried about an event that to all those around us say should be a grave concern?

To most, faith starts with believing or thinking. I think something will happen the way I want it to or at least I hope it does. Faith is usually described as hope in the unseen. As Christians we have all heard it and probably read it; “Faith is the substance of things hoped for…” Faith, hope and believing seem to be powerful words, but without proper context these words fall very short of our expectations.

Faith is knowing, not believing. If I believe a particular stock is going to rise. I might buy it. It depends. Am I willing to risk my money on a belief? I have strong opinions. I really believe this stock is going to rise sharply and anyone willing to invest might make a good return on their investment. I do not buy the stock, why not? I’m not willing to risk my last few dollars on a belief. Would I be willing to risk my money on something I knew? You bet I would. If I knew the stock was going to rise I would not be risking my money. It would be a sure thing. This is a no brainer. The stock is going to rise and I’m all in. That is real faith. Faith is knowing.

Too often when considering faith our focus is on the answer of our concern. I believe God is going to heal me. My area of interest is on my healing. I give a great deal of attention to the pain and the hope for a lack of pain. I am anticipating the moment when the pain is gone and I am healed. I am looking for, as the scripture says; “… the evidence of things not seen.”

In the last half of Romans chapter four, Paul describes to us how real faith thinks. Abraham was told he would have a son and would become the father of many nations; he was ninety-nine. Sarah, his wife was also too old to have children. Nevertheless, we are told that Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Rom. 4:22). What did Abraham do differently? Abraham’s belief was not in a son, it was in knowing a God who is without limits.

I am limited. I can be at only one place at a time. My mind is just so creative and at best I can see only one or two answers to a problem. I can trust my ability to reason to carry me just so far. And the more I think about this and the more I write, the more I am reminded that I cannot really trust myself at all. I can easily trick my own thinking.

But God!

Faith is knowing the creator of the universe as limitless, and creative, and loving, and involved.