Faith is a somewhat difficult subject for me. It seems there is always more to learn. I recently re-read something I wrote about 4 years ago on the subject and realized how much more I've learned--and how much I still don't know.
Certain aspects of faith are easier for me to deal with, I guess. I suppose it's because there are some things so completely out of my control that it's easier to just trust God for. Other things, even though they are equally out of my control, for some reason seem more controllable to me, so I find myself trying to make things happen. But I know consciously that it will never work. Why can't I let go all the time?
A lot of times people refer to different quantities of faith. However, I think this is a bit of a misconception. People often point to Jesus' phrase "faith the size of a mustard seed" to indicate quantitative comparisons, but I don't recall reading Jesus saying something about "faith the size of a pebble" or "faith as big as your head" being necessary for bigger jobs. Then again, what job is bigger than moving a mountain? Anyway, the point is, quantity of faith is irrelevant.
I suppose though, the problem is not so much "having faith" as it is "having doubt." The fact is, everyone who is saved has faith--it's impossible to be saved without faith! But doubt counter-acts our faith. People often take this too far as well, though. I've heard it said that if you have any doubt at all that God can't do anything for you. So basically the idea is that you have to have 100% completely clean, doubt-free faith all the time in order to receive from God. If the slightest hint of doubt enters your mind, you have to start all over again! What stress!
I'm more of a mind to say that while, yes, you mustn't doubt, it's more important what you do with the doubt. Most commonly, for me anyway, it's not a matter of "can God do this?" But, "Will God do this?" I know that God is able to do anything. That doesn't ever even enter my mind to doubt. But the devil more often attacks with thoughts of "why should God do this for you? You don't deserve anything. That's not important. You're just being selfish." On and on. If I allow those thoughts to take hold, then I truly enter in to doubt, which counter-acts my faith.
So how does one counteract these "fiery darts" of doubt? With the sheild of faith! But this doesn't mean psyching yourself up ("I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!"). As I said a couple posts ago, that doesn't work! Faith comes by hearing the Word of God! The only way to overpower a lie is to drown it out with TRUTH and truth is found only in Jesus Christ [who is, by the way, the WORD of God! (John 1)].
Do you ever struggle with doubt trying to drown out your faith? Do you let it seep in and cloud your vision of God or do you drown out its darkness with the light of the Word? What are you going to trust God for today? Think about it
