Day 30 - Belief or Faith?

Posted by Chris Sloan

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  (Hebrews 11:1, NIV)

The word faith is something we sometimes throw around loosely. It’s one of those words that we use so much that the meaning becomes worn and diluted.  Many times, you here people say “just have faith” or “keep being faithful.”  Maybe you’ve had someone at work say to you:  “I have faith in your work.”  I always want to reply to that with, “I just have confidence and belief in my work, not faith.”

Webster’s defines belief as “trust or confidence.” Just what is the real meaning of faith?  The writer of Hebrews defines faith for us in the title passage at the top of this devotional.  Faith is much stronger than belief. Faith is an active word, but belief is passive.  If you look at any surveys of average Americans and ask if they believe in God, they will overwhelmingly answer yes.  Many people believe in God, but do they have faith?
 
Imagine for a moment you are trapped in the top of a burning building and down below are firemen with the large catch-net.  In your mind, you believe you will be able to jump and the net will hold you and you will be safe.  You can believe all you want, but belief alone will not save you.  Faith is when you jump.  Faith saves you from the pending disaster.  Faith is acting on your belief.
 
A lot of times in our lives we build walls, not of brick and mortar, but rather of guilt, worry, resentment, jealousy, anger, despair, and so on.  We choose to stand on top of these walls we have built and look over the edge. We then have a choice to make. Do we stay on top our burning wall and simmer, or do we take a leap of faith into God’s waiting net?
 
Some of us need to get off the sidelines and into the game.  Forget about the ” I believe in God” bandwagon, and get on board the ” I have an active, alive faith in God” wagon.  Just imagine if all “believers” simply had faith to tithe, there would be no need for government programs to help the less fortunate.  The church would do it.  James says it best in the following verse:  “Do not merely listen to the word, and so decieve yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22, NIV).
 
PRAYER:  “Father, help us to move from merely listening and believing Your word, to having a more complete faith in You. Forgive us for falling short of the mark. Give us Your wisdom and strength to carry on. In Christ’s name, Amen.”

POINT TO PONDER:  Faith is acting on your belief.