Where does faith come from?
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So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17
Where does faith come from? As a kid who grew up in church, faith in God has long been a part of my life. Christianity was the faith of my parents, and as a young child, I would have said it was mine, too. But mostly, I was going through the motions- no personal relationship with Jesus.
In my teen years, I was no longer content to accept anything, belief in God included, based upon what I was told to think. I had to figure it out for myself. I started asking the hard questions, and by the grace of God, I found the answers I was looking for.
It took a few years. My sophomore year of college, married already, and living in Moscow, Idaho, was the turning point in my relationship with Jesus. That is when it went from head knowledge to heart knowledge.
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I say that my faith became personal by the grace of God, because I know that it wasn’t anything I did which brought me to him. It was the work of the Holy Spirit in my heart.
What exactly does this faith entail? Simply put, there is a God, made of three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The bible is God’s word; it’s true and is written through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. There is only one true God- with one way to right relationship with him, through his son, Jesus.
I couldn’t force myself to believe that above statement, not through my own willpower (but I do believe my questioning brought me closer, rather than pushing me farther away from my faith in God). My desire to find out the answers to the hard questions, and my eventual desire to draw closer to Jesus, in a personal relationship, was a gift.
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Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3 (ESV)
I love this, because it leaves no room for boasting. We are given free will in choosing to follow Jesus, but at the same time, even that ability to choose faith is grace.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
I am sure of whom I place my trust in because of faith. In Calm My Anxious Heart, Linda Dillow says,
“We must do more than possess faith intellectually- we must own it in our hearts. Faith is not something to be reasoned from afar, but something we throw ourselves into- heart, mind, and soul.”
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That is what I want to do. I want to trust God with all of my heart, mind, and soul. That’s what I invite you to do too. I have doubts sometimes. Maybe you do to? That’s okay. Sometimes I pray the same prayer that a father said to Jesus long ago.
There’s a story in Mark chapter 9, starting around verse 17, about a time when a father brought his son to Jesus to be healed. The boy was mute and deaf, and had been having convulsions since childhood, so bad that he had often been thrown into the fire or water. It was a heartbreaking dangerous situation. The father went to Jesus then said,
“ But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us." And Jesus said to him,
“If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes. “
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
And Jesus healed the boy. I love this story, because it’s an example not only of the healing power of Jesus, but it shows that Jesus knows and understands our unbelief, and he has compassion on us anyway.
Even our ability to believe is something that we need help with. We bring nothing to the relationship on our own, not even our desire or our ability to believe. Where does faith come from? Faith is a gift from God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, and it’s all through the power and grace of Jesus. Let no one boast.
Linking up with Worshipful Wednesday.
