Cause you got to have faith, faith, faith...

To believe...

I may be wrong but I don't think trust is a natural part of humans. I think we all deal with questioning things. I'll be the first to say, I question peoples intentions often. I don't know if they are being sincere or "faking it to make it". 

Being a Christian, faith is a vital part of someones life. I mean, you are trusting that God will keep his promises. I think there would be a lot of upset people if Jesus didn't come back. I know I'd be upset. I remember when I was a kid and a friend would say I could come over. Then the next day they say they had things to do. You kind of lose faith in the friendship when it consistently happens.

Natural?

I remember reading in my devotional where Paul Tripp states that he thinks faith isn't a natural part of a person. It's funny because it wasn't profound but it hit home. You might be thinking, why did this stand out to you?

In the beginning of time, the Bible tells this story in the garden. It's beautiful, perfect, and completely peaceful. Some would say this was the essences of "shalom". The word shalom is the idea of completeness and perfect peace. It was the idea of being in perfect harmony with God. 

Within this perfection, the shalom is destroyed by one act of man. Our fine friends Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and eat from a tree, God instructed them not to. On a side note, its devastating to think that we belittle God's commands. When He says something, He means it. Moving forward...

In this one act sin entered all of mankind. The relationship with God is severed because of sin. Shalom is lost. We now try to figure out things on our own power. This means believing in a great power, doesn't actually give people comfort. This means that because of sin, Satan tries to convince us that there is no God. That we are all that's here. We tend to believe in ourselves because we feel we can understand life.

Sometimes you just got to work at it...

Due to the fact that faith is not a natural part of our lives. I believe it takes work to build faith. It takes work to build trust.

It's a bit like working out. You have to put time and effort into doing the work in order to see a result. For instance, I need to learn God's word, understand his promises, and continually talk to Him. Not only those common core parts of Christianity, but also the areas where you have to just jump. 

In order to have your faith grow, sometimes you have to just jump and hope you will be caught. This isn't saying, go out there quit your job and move to Africa (Please don't do that unless you are called). The idea is when you spend that personal time with God, you will begin to understand what he promises, you will be Shalom.

Yet Shalom starts first with understanding that Jesus has mended our broken relationship with God. Our faith is only because of what Jesus has done and is doing. He is continually giving us grace. His blood has mended the already broken relationship we have with God. Now Jesus' blood means forgiveness for our sins.

I have been going through in my head lately how hard faith is in my life. I read this verse and it makes it even harder.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance of what we do not see" 

- Hebrews 11:1

Having confidence has never been a strong point for me. Especially now that I'm going through the struggle of feeling like I can't provide. It's easier to be confident when you have it all together. Lately I struggle. 

Yet I have also seen God provide in the midst. I've had some encouraging conversations and possible places to go. I will admit, I got on my knees and told God, I feel like I can believe. I needed help with my belief, with my confidence. This was part of my "work out" in faith. I needed God to see me at my weakest. My most faithless time. I needed Jesus to know my need for faith can only come from Him.

Ultimately I don't know what people are going through. I know faith isn't easy. It's not natural. Yet I know a God who is beyond natural. He does things that are supernatural. I still wander and probably will till Jesus takes me home. Yet I know, in the midst of troubles, Jesus never forgets. Faith takes time and will grow, you will fail, but Jesus will forgive and pour out His grace.