How You Faithing It?

And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.  I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.  However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. - Acts 20:22-24

It seems to me that we have a mistaken view regarding the conclusion of faith.  Most people seem to believe that you either have it or you don't.  You either believe in God and in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ or you don't.  While there is truth in that thinking, I believe that this step of faith is only the beginning in a person's faith journey and God has no intention of keeping you there. 

My experience is that faith has to be built with most people.  It's shaky at first, but after relying on it some you gain some confidence in it.  You hear other people's testimony about how their faith brought them through difficult times and your faith grows some more.  Then after relying on it and it alone for a life decision you gain some great confidence and trust.  Once you've had to rely on faith alone, be prepared to have to do it again.  And so it goes.  Your faith is hopefully ever increasing.

Unfortunately we do not consistently rely on our faith.  We get comfortable in our faith and start believing in ourselves too much.  We justify what we want and what we see and allow the lies of Satan to tell us we did those faith things ourself or it was just coincidence.  And our faith falls as we lose confidence and trust in it.

I believe that God will consistently work for His children to put them in situations and circumstances to ever increase their faith.  He will not let you sit still where you are to stagnate.  With each wrong road I believe God puts a turning lane and road sign all along that wrong road waiting on us to take it.  After each victory of faith I believe God will provide yet another level we can yet believe and another miracle to prove His Lordship.   

Paul had great faith and yet God kept him in a position of continually having to rely upon it.  God did not get him to a great level of faith and let him go sit atop a mountain as a wise hermit.  He didn't hole up in a monastery to study and write never talking to others.  He didn't settle down into a town and preach to the same 50 people every week hoping they'd get out and do something.  God led him to new places, new people, and new worldly dangers.  And Paul went, knowing the dangers, aware of the risks, but relying upon faith in God and God alone with each trip, each conversation, each message to the people.

Just as the Hebrew children were about to go into the furnace and said "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand.  But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)  I believe that Paul shared this level of faith.  Yes, he might be thrown into prison and tortured but the Christ he served is able to deliver him from it, and if He doesn't deliver him from it, he still will serve Christ as He directs.