What Does It Mean to Have Faith?

Jeff Lampl

Friday, February 26, 2016

What Does it Mean to Have Faith?

Several years ago I watched the movie . .  . . . . .

The Grey.   It impacted me so much that I still think about it all the time.  I reflect frequently on so many of scenes in the film (it’s a great move by the way and I recommend it highly if you are willing to face the tough questions of the existence, provision and faithfulness of God).   If you choose to watch it you might not like all the “f bombs” and gore, but you will be challenged.  Where was God when they needed him?

Over the years I’ve wrestled with the whole idea of faith.  Is faith a belief system in my head or it acting on my belief system making faith more into acts of obedience.   In fact, all of that is part and parcel of biblical faith.   It would have been unthinkable to a first century Jew to talk about faith apart from belief, obedience, and acting on their trust in God.  Faith, belief, trust, obedience are all facets of the same diamond.

Where I’ve settled is on the simplest definition of faith of all.   Hebrews 11:1 tells us “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” ?   Brilliant Bible scholar, Dallas Willard, writes, “Salvation is confidence in God”.   I’ve come to rest in this.   My faith is now defined as confidence in God.

So . . . how does confidence in God fit with what happened to Liam Niesen and all those he was trying to rescue in the Grey?   If you watch the film and if you believe that God is always at work at every second and in every square inch of the universe, then you will find God even in what appears to be his utter absence.

Jesus said to them,

 “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”

 John 5:17

“Lord, I choose to believe that you are always at work for good at every second and in every square inch of the universe.  I will no longer fret over not understanding what you are doing, rather I choose to simply thank you in all my circumstances, be they good or seemingly hopeless,  for the goodness you are working in the world both now and for the future. Amen”