Faith Grows in Unexpected Places

Just take a step of faith…

Ever heard the phrase: “Just take a step of faith?”

I have… a lot. It’s a good phrase. It’s powerful too, and church folks love it. But here’s the problem:

We have become too familiar with Christian jargons that we no longer understand what they mean in reality. 

Taking a step of faith requires a shift and you cannot do that by sitting on the couch all day. It calls for action; a step forward.

It means quitting procrastination, dusting your CV and applying for that job. Or maybe for you, it means you need to take on that part time work you’d rather not do so you can pay the bills in the meantime, or volunteer at the charity office where you get to impact lives locally while waiting for your big break.

Faith grows in unexpected places

Next time you ‘pray’ for faith, God is saying; “Start doing”.

Faith grows in unexpected places. No one experiences transformation under a sunny beach, sipping red wine. You could try. But it won’t work.

True transformation is not experienced in the place of ease. We experience genuine expression of faith in hard places, when we make hard choices or face difficult situations.

To believe is to have inward conviction. To demonstrate faith is to act on that conviction.

You don’t simply ‘pray’ faith into your life. Trusting God doesn’t come by meditation but action. You have to ultimately do something to demonstrate you believe. Don’t get me wrong; praying is fundamental. You must do that. Oh how we ought to pray more! It’s indeed a measure of faith.

Faith Embraces Pain

We grow our faith when we act based on God’s word. We grow our faith when we step out into the ‘messiness’ of life, doing the ‘present’ while we trust and wait for God’s next move in our lives. That certainly contrasts with a life of ease. Why? Because faith embraces pain.

Are you willing to step into the unknown like Abraham, not knowing where God is leading, but trusting that He is faithful to lead you well? Are you willing to embrace significant challenges, trusting that the future will be greater than the present?

Faith is practical. Faith is underpinned by God’s promises. Faith is life. And life comes with making hard choices, often in hard situations.

Question: What hard step will you commit to take this week to grow your faith?

Image courtesy of Samuli Sivonen | Flickr