Without it we wither. Sometimes our circumstances make life seem hopeless. Things change, and the rhythm of life is interrupted. We find our backs against a wall, and don’t know which way to turn. At times like these, it may seem like all our efforts are in vain. I have definitely felt this way, and I get frustrated. I persistently try to achieve an outcome that never occurs. But then, God gently beckons me to turn in a different direction. Sometimes I get so focused on one pursuit, one goal, that I forget the world is a wide-open space with endless possibilities. I’m not an advocate of random and reckless wandering through life, but I definitely believe in hope. Not a random hope that amounts to nothing more than positive thinking, but a substantive hope in God. A hope that yields results!

What kind of hope is this? This kind:

“And we know that God works all things for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) I know that the circumstances of my life are no accident. I’ve given my life to Christ and am committed to following him. I love God, and therefore know that he’s orchestrating my life - yielding good for myself and for others. Knowing this brings peace when things are hard or unclear.

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.” (Psalm 23:1) If I’m following his lead, God’s not going to leave me in need. This doesn’t mean I’ll only walk through fields of flowers (I wish!!). Sometimes he takes me through wilderness and desert, and almost always on paths that are new and unknown to me. But in every place and every season, he supplies what I need. That’s why I hear him say to me, just like to Joshua before conquering the promised land, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

When I trust enough to follow him in the hard times, he leads me to new places. My life becomes richer, fuller... better! And I do too. It’s an adventure that I have to remind myself to embrace - that everything’s going to be more than okay. When I do, I’m able to enjoy the ride, and the outcomes that are “...immeasurably more than all we [could] ask or imagine.” Ephesians 3:20

Throughout God's Word, we see a consistent message - that salvation comes exclusively through faith in Christ. But what does the word "faith" mean? Is it a positive thought that everything will work out? A good feeling about life, others... the universe? An attempt to speak positive outcomes into existence? Many of these ideas have been put forth in modern times as the "stuff that faith is made of." All of them, however, fall short of the real thing. To understand faith, we can't rest on a single Bible verse, and we certainly can't take verses out of context, inventing our own ideas of it.

Reading the whole of Scripture and thoroughly studying passages concerning faith gives us an accurate understanding of it. For time's sake, let's consider just two here. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV) says "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." Though we don't deserve God's love or salvation, God offers both as a gift by his grace (unmerited favor). We receive them by believing that he's made this offer - that Christ died on the cross to pay our death penalty for our sins - and believing so completely that we act on it. We turn from our sins and ask him to forgive us, committing ourselves to walk in his ways and follow his lead. God grants our pardon, giving us a fresh start and a new life, increasing in fullness as we learn to live like him. Faith serves as a channel through which we receive all the good God has for us. When we believe what he says, it's easier to do what he says, and reap the benefits of it. Without faith, his gifts and his goodness remain in his hands as unclaimed offers.

In Hebrews 11:1, we see that "... faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." This not only refers to our future hope of heaven, but the specific personal direction God gives us (through his spirit and his Word) as we journey through life. Hebrews 11 catalogs heroes of the faith - those whose belief translated into action. They were all commended for their faith, accompanied by this word of instruction:

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) In other words, we believe what God has revealed about himself, and everything changes.

Faith, as God defines it in his Word, is quite simply believing that what he says is true. This doesn't mean intellectually agreeing that he's spoken truth - but personally believing what he speaks directly to your spirit, and has spoken to you through his Word. This kind of belief  directly affects our attitudes and behavior, often radically changing them. This is why James said that "...faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." (James 2:17b) A genuine, living faith inevitably produces good character, good works, a good life - one in which we're transformed to fully and freely give and receive his love.