What is Faith?

So what is faith? Is it something we believe with our mind? Is it something we do? Is it conviction or trust?

The answer is yes, but we must first consider the origin. Belief does not cause faith. Action does not cause faith. Trust does not cause faith.

The origin of our faith is God; it is of God. Belief, action, and trust is therefore a reaction to the faith God puts in our heart.

We cannot consider faith without checking out what the writer of Hebrews has to say, for the words in Chapter 11 are incredible! I’ve really been enjoying the Amplified Version as of late, so let’s take a look at Hebrews 11:1 (AMP):

“Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].”

Human beings have an amazing capacity to believe. Our beliefs come from information and experience. Therefore, as we gather more information or have more experiences, our beliefs change. Faith doesn’t change.

Many believe a certain government system is better than others. Many believe vitamins, diet and exercise will make you healthier. Many believe a certain lifestyle is better than others. As humans, we put our trust in these things. But then something happens. A government fails. The person who exercises and takes vitamins gets cancer. The person with a better lifestyle dies young anyway.

This is what happens when we put our trust in something of this world. Our beliefs necessarily shift with the wind.

Faith is reality. It’s our substance. It is "perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.” It is the basis of our perspective and the way we see this world. It’s not just something we do on Sundays, something we study, or something we blindly follow. It is our entire existence, our being at our very core. It is our work, our play, our rest, our home life, and our public life.

Faith is to perceive things as they truly are. The human heart is proficient at denial but God opens our soul to light. The Gospel invites us to live in the real reality, even if our five senses cannot perceive it at first. God opens our eyes, opens our ears, and we taste His goodness. We attain His promises by faith. Faith is tangible.

Belief is of the mind, faith is of the spirit. While faith necessarily influences beliefs, it is not our mind that perceives faith. God puts faith in us, however, our mind often creates a barrier so we cannot see the proof of our faith! We know we have faith, but never experience confirmation in this earth. Our heart fails when we cannot sense that God is pleased or satisfied with us.

This is what God so lovingly wants to give us: proof of our salvation and new life. There is so, so much more to life than fleeting good times. There’s a depth, a richness, a layer of eternity that God wants to add. He desires to enhance our existence so that we actually receive a bit of our inheritance. We see and greet God’s promises by being sustained and controlled by faith. We trust naturally because we have a tangible confirmation of our faith. What we do, say, and trust become proof of our faith.

There is so much more! Do you crave more? Seek God with all your heart, strength, and mind! Happiness doesn’t rely on the happenings in life. Peace is not disturbed by violence. Love is not destroyed by offense. Soon, you’ll be perceiving the miraculous in everyday life. This is the life God offers. This is the life we can have right now. Let faith arise into reality!