What is Faith Anyway?

Well, it seems that I have pretty much abandoned blog world this week…sorry for the silence. Life has been busy and going, going, going. What a blessing it is to be surrounded by so many precious friends and family as my summer spent back home comes to an end—all too soon, I might add.

I am not going to lie—this week has been challenging. I am tired and weary. You know, I just don’t think I will ever fully embrace change in my life. Yes, I know the Lord is in control…I know His plans ALWAYS end up being sweeter then anything I could work up on my own…I know His timing is perfect. As I was relaxing by the pool with my best friend today, I realized that while I know such truth—I would even go as far as to say I genuinely believe such Truth—there is a point where knowing and believing end; this is where faith begins.

Knowing and believing are easy—you know something is true because you have experienced it in the past—simple, it just is. Out of that knowledge comes belief—it just is, so you believe. No further analysis needed. But faith—well faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. As another translation says, it is the conviction of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1)

When we cannot see past the hurt, the insecurity, the fear, the doubt, the chaos and confusion, the changes…when we cannot see what will actually happen if we do that or when we go there, have we still faith that He who promised is indeed the faithful one? Scripture says that not only is faith being sure of the unseen, but that faith GIVES us such assurance of the things not seem.

Knowing and believing may graciously satisfy our black and white, over-analyzing, always doubting, wondering minds—for there is proof that sets us at ease. While we may not have the ability to FIND such proof in regaurds to faith, I must argue that perhaps faith is even easier—we don’t need to find proof for faith, when faith GIVES us more then proof—assurance and conviction.

I can prove to you that when I mix blue and red, I will get purple. I can prove to you that dogs bark and cows moo. I can prove to you that 2 + 2 = 4. I don’t understand these concepts necessarily. I couldn’t tell you why such things happen as they do—I just know they do. Simple as that.

I don’t know why I am moving back to Fayetteville next week—but I am sure that God has a divine purpose for me to be there. I cannot prove that an intentional courtship without years of dating is the way to go—but God has given me this conviction for my life. I never saw Jesus heal anyone…I never saw Him die on that cross…I never saw Him rise again—but I have assurance and conviction that He did and that through those actions, my life has been made new. I don’t need to know that these things happened—I simply rest in the assurance of things I have not seen. I simply have faith.

Truthfully, it is not that simple for me. But it should be—I don’t even need to bother finding the proof for faith like all the other things in my life, for I am assured of the unseen. In fact, it would only make sense for me to be more sure of the things I have yet to see and yet to understand then the things I have seen, the ones I can prove. Faith sounds so effortless—so restful. Lord, help me to rest in the assurance and conviction of things not seen as everything I see now begins to morph into the unseen in the upcoming days, weeks, months, and years. Oh what a faithful Master you are.