“Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” Hebrews 1:1
I’m reading this book “Job and the Mystery of Suffering” by Richard Rohr. It’s really a very deep book. I can only read a few pages or sometimes even paragraphs at a time before I have to put it down to think about what it’s saying. Full transparency, my husband will probably explain it to me at some point.
I didn’t make it very far tonight before I stumbled across this little gem, “Faith definitions grow old as we move through our lives…Lord what does faith mean now?” It stopped me immediately.
That’s it exactly!
Faith does change as you grow older. I wouldn’t define faith at all today like I would of twenty years ago. Twenty years ago I was a much different person than I am today. For one thing, I wasn’t going to church. It had been years since I had set foot in a church.
In fact, I was a flight attendant back then, a little longer than twenty years ago. I definitely was running from God in those days, as fast as I could. Never got away from Him though. Looking back, even though I was running from Him, He was holding onto me! In fact, it wasn’t until I stopped running and returned to Him that I realized that.
But I digress, the first thing I thought of was the first time I emailed Ron. That took a very large amount of faith for me to do. I had been hurt so many times before. I was comfortable being single. Had a good job, lots of friends, my Mom was my roommate. Life was good. I didn’t need to put myself back out there just to get rejected again.
But he was so different than any other guy I had ever dated. So kind. So gentle. Never pushy. I hadn’t had anyone treat me like he did. Even more importantly, like he still does.
The faith I needed that day is totally different than I the faith I need today. You know why, because taking that first step of faith led me to where I am today. If I hadn’t trusted God that day. Trusted that He loved me no matter what. That He would never reject me or hurt me. I was never alone, He is always with me. If I hadn’t trusted those promises, I wouldn’t of had the courage to face the possibility of being rejected once again.
The point is, after I took that first step of faith, then I took another one, and another one. I’m still taking faith steps today. That’s why I love to start my day out praying. Lifting up to God what the day ahead holds helps me walk more solidly, knowing there isn’t anything He can’t handle. Knowing He orders my steps, He prepares my way, He leads me where He needs me. My whole life is lived on faith. I don’t think I could live any other way, nor do I want too.
God rocks!
"Lord what does faith mean now?"
