"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls" (1 Peter 1:8-9).
Faith is one of the most central themes in the Bible and central elements in the Christian walk. Faith is the means by which we enter into salvation. From then onward, our faith, or lack of it, shapes our lives and determines what happens to us when loss, difficulties, and set-backs come. Some Christians never lose their firm beliefs, but others become fearful when problems arise. To understand why this is true, we need to examine the source of our faith.
Inherited faith: If you grew up in a Christian home, you probably adopted some of the beliefs of your parents. This kind of godly foundation is a wonderful gift from the Lord, but eventually, each person must assume responsibility for his own beliefs.
Textbook faith: The Bible is the ultimate guide for establishing our beliefs. But that’s not the only source of influence. Books, preachers, teachers, and friends all impact our convictions. Our theology may be sound, but faith is merely mental acceptance until it’s put to the test.
Proven Faith: Only when we trust the Lord through the fires of adversity will we have faith that can stand. It is no longer based on what others have told us or what we’ve accepted as true but on our firsthand experience of His faithfulness.
To evaluate your faith, consider how you react when trouble appears. Do you press closer to God or do you get angry at Him? Is your attitude one of praise and thankfulness because He’s making you more like Jesus, or are you bitter? No one can escape problems in life, but those with proven faith will benefit from it.
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