“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”
Hebrews 11:1
Let’s face it. Life is a hard contender. It swoops in with uppercuts, left jabs and unexpected punches to the gut that make you want to give up. Thank goodness God gives us a weapon on which we can rely. That weapon is faith.
Faith is a complete and unwavering belief in something; being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). For many, faith is elusive. They say they have it only to watch it slip through their fingers the moment doubt punches them in the jaw. Maintaining faith can be difficult, but that’s were God’s word comes into play.
The Bible is filled with scriptures about faith. In fact, it is mentioned 365 times. God orchestrated it this way because He knew that your faith would need to be strengthened and renewed every day. Strong faith keeps you in the ring. It helps you sick and move around life’s circumstances, and even family and friends who tell you to give up. Faith helps you cope, it gives you hope, helps you to remain connected to the main Source, and see light in this dark world, but you won’t have those things in your possession if you don’t DO some things to help maintain your faith.
Don’t Grow Weary. Galatians 6:9 tells us not to “become weary when doing good”. In other words, Godknows how difficult this time is in your life, and how easy it would be to give in to depression and thoughts of doubt. In Galatians, he implores that we hang on, that we keep moving. Regardless of the outcome, your faith will be strengthened by God who is walking with you, always.
Guard your Spirit. This is the time when you must be very watchful of things, and people, that may try to disconnect you from God. He knew you would be faced with this situation that would test your faith in Him and left instructions for you to “guard yourself in the spirit, and do no break faith” (Malachi 2:16). In other words, do everything you can to keep your spirit centered on God. Go to church, read the Bible, see a Christian counselor, and actively seek after those things that will fortify, not break, your faith.
Pray. I cannot stress enough how important prayer is to help build and maintain your faith. The two work hand-in-hand. Ephesians 6:18 tells us to “pray in the Spirit on all occasions”. This includes over the situation you are in, and for help to build your faith, especially when the world tells you to throw in the towel. Prayer is your lifeline, your direct messaging system with God. It is the place where you ask for help, receive guidance, seek assistance, receive instruction, share your praise, and receive His peace.
Life’s boxing ring will always be difficult, but you have God on your side, filling you with His spirit, feeding you His word, and providing you with His perfect strategies to build your faith in Him. As long as He’s on your side of the ring, your faith will be strengthened.
