The Faith Factor in Happiness
Jesus gathered with the disciples in the upper room the night of His execution. The world of the disciples is about to go into eclipse at midday. Their world is about to fall apart. They were understandably distressed.
He has always told His followers of the glory and the pain involved in following Him. As they must, we must so realize you can’t expect to eat the honey unless you are willing to take the stings.
In comforting His disciples that night He shared a principle that can give us stability in our crisis. It is faith, Faith is merely confidence in God’s character.
Hear this: “Faith is the submission of our reasoning and worry to all that is revealed (in God’s Word).”
Faith does not ignore facts, it introduces facts, the facts of revelation.
Faith is not irrational; it is supernatural.
The Greek word for faith, “pistis” comes from the word, “pisteuo,” meaning to obey. When you say you have faith in God you are saying I am willing to obey God.
Dale Evans, wife of Old West cowboy hero Roy Rogers, observed: “I sought the pot of gold at the foot of the rainbow. It eluded me. By simple faith, I found it at the foot of the cross.”
Perhaps you have been looking for your pot of gold without success. All that the heart longs for can be found in Jesus.
When we look at things through our natural eyes they may well appear to be foreboding and frightening. When we look at them through the eyes of faith they are seen differently.
Faith is confidence in God.
Is there any area of your life in which Jesus is not trusted with absolute control?
It is possible, though always improper, for Him to be present in your life without being President of your life.
He is not to be dormant in your life, but dominant.
Do you want Him merely as your Savior Lord or as your Sovereign Lord, that is, the one with absolute authority? If you say you have faith in Him, act like it. That means to trust and obey Him.
“This is the victory that overcomes the world, even your faith.”