Living Out GREAT Faith

Some people think I have great faith. I’ve always had faith. Ever since I was a little girl, it has accompanied me in life. It is my best friend. But just because I’ve always had faith, doesn’t mean I have GREAT faith. I’d like to have great faith. But I fear, many times, I don’t.

My faith isn’t exercised as much as it should be. You see; I like to live life in safety. I want my children to be safe, I want to be safe. I’m not a risk-taker. I’m a planner. And I’m all about making sure I’m prepared in case of “what if’s.” You don’t leave a lot of room for faith in those kinds of pre-planned scenarios.

My husband, on the other hand, he is a risk taker. He is an adrenaline junkie. He loves to travel and try things he’s never tried… just for the experience of it. I know I wouldn’t have gone to many of the places I’ve been, or had the courage to try some of the things I’ve tried – without his enthusiasm tugging me along.

I sometimes think that he has a greater faith than me. For he allows himself the opportunity to truly live. Live without boundaries and boxes placed on him. Live without pre-planning the end result of everything. He lives with joy. Great joy.

It probably isn’t the wisest thing to compare my faith to someone else’s. After all, we were all created to be different and unique on purpose. I wasn’t created to be a risk-taker. I’ve learned a lot about how much I like controlled situations. And I’ve learned that I don’t give God the freedom to work in those controlled parameters.

My faith may seem great to someone else, because I haven’t always allowed it to be tested. It’s stayed in “safe zone” a lot. Only in those moments where life has seemed scary and out-of-control, have I truly gone to my knees and had to put my faith to the test. Do I really believe God? Do I believe He will do what He has told me He will do for me? Do I believe He will come through and be faithful?

I am so humbled to say that God has ALWAYS been faithful to me. And He knows how my heart has sought after Him even in my trembling “safe” zones. For God knows what stretches each one of us. And what stretches me is not the same as what stretches my adrenaline-loving husband.  So even if my faith may not always seem large and great to me? It may be just as great as someone who seems to put it all out there on the line in life. For to them, that kind of living isn’t a stretch at all. It’s who they are. And it doesn’t take much faith for them to do that.

Faith is personal. It’s unique to each of us and for ALL of us. But there isn’t one prescription that fits everyone. What works for one, may not work for another as far as exercising and relying on it goes. We each grow our faith in very personal-to-us ways.

You have a God who wants to use YOUR faith. Grow YOUR faith. He never compares your faith to someone else’s. He is focused on you. Just as He is focused on me.  And it doesn’t even always matter if our faith is GREAT, for there are times where it’s enough that our faith is simply there at all.

Let it be. Let it grow. And listen for God’s promptings on when and how He wants to use it in your life. For if you let Him, then your faith will become a GREAT faith – no matter what anyone else says.