Faithfulness
"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible."
Hebrews 11:1-3
Faith is what we say we have in God when we decide to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you've been a Christian long enough, you may have come to realize that demonstrating faith and living out your faith is certainly easier said than done. Faithfulness is something we can grow in and something that God invites us to develop and participate in by the strength of the Spirit. Being faithful means living according to God's perfect and good will. Faithfulness isn't just about believing in God, it is much deeper than that. Faithfulness is about living for God in a way that is righteous and pursuing His will for your life.
In the Bible, being faithful is directly connected to the way we live, what we think, and how we speak. We cannot consider ourselves faithful if we live for other gods or continually satisfy the desires of our flesh (sinful nature). Faith is what comes alive and grows in us when we choose to believe in and follow Jesus. Continuing to deepen our faithfulness is a fruit of the Spirit we are instructed to bear and is a significant part of our spirituality.
"For we walk by faith, not by sight." 1 Corinthians 5:7
The typical assumption of this verse is that faith must mean that we blindly follow God. But on the contrary, when the Bible says that we walk by faith, it means that we walk according to the richness of God's way. It means we walk in loyalty, steadfastness, and fidelity to God. When we walk by sight, we walk according to what we can see, according to what is around us, according to what the world tells us, while really living from our own perspective and ways. But walking by faith, bearing the fruit of faithfulness, means that we walk with God, hand-in-hand, according to His good ways.
"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man." Proverbs 3:3-4
God never asks us to follow Him in vain. He constantly invites us to enjoy the abundance of having a relationship with Him. When we are faithful, we reap countless harvests of goodness. What more do we need than the favor of God and to know that in His sight, we are good and successful? Our innate need is to be loved and favored, and when we practice faithfulness, we find those desires satisfied. God quenches every thirst we have.
"But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." Psalm 86:15
Faithfulness is not only something God invites us to practice, but it is part of His own character. God is faithful to us. As our Creator, His love is unconditional and His faithfulness endures forever. If you are afraid to be faithful to God because you may get hurt, remember, God's ways are not humankind's ways. He will never betray you, hurt you, or let you down. God is faithful every time and is the One we will never waste our faithfulness on.
May you find encouragement this week to put effort into practicing the fruit of faithfulness. Seek to follow God's ways and make prayerful decisions to discern His good and perfect will for your life and the life of your family.
Let Us Pray
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your faithfulness. We are so grateful that we follow and serve a God who never disappoints and remains faithful to His children to deliver us, hear our cries, and set us free. Help us to be faithful to you in all we do. Help us to seek your will and desire the good and wonderful life that you have planned for us. Let us have the courage to live faithful lives that draw others to you and testify to your faithfulness. Thank you Lord for your favor and that your Spirit will empower us to lead faithful lives. Amen.
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