What does it mean to live by faith?

Following Jesus means that we will live by faith. Our spiritual journey begins with faith (Ephesians 2:8-9) and continues with faith (Romans 1:17). In fact, it is entirely impossible to please God unless we are living by faith (Hebrews 11:6).

But what does that mean? What does it mean to live by faith?

The answer to that question is simple and yet extremely complex. It can be answered in a sentence or two and yet doing so runs the risk of over-simplifying and trivializing it.

Having said that let's run the risks of being brief.

Faith simply means that we are trusting in who God is and what God has said and done. In fact, we are RESTING in who God is and what He has said and done.

I am sitting in a chair as I type this. So, you could easily and accurately say that I have faith that this chair will continue to hold me up. But, I'm not stressed over having faith in this chair. Actually, it's a "resting" faith. I've got so much confidence (faith) that this chair will hold me up that I'm able to relax in that truth. My faith in this chair is a resting faith.

At the moment that I became a follower of Jesus, I knew that God loved me and that Jesus had died on the cross to pay my sin debt to a holy Judge. I knew that if I turned my back on sin and self (repentance) and trusted in Jesus to forgive me and fit me for Heaven that I would become a child of God. I didn't have to conjure up that faith. I simply rested in what God had said and continue to rest in that truth.

As I continue in my journey of faith (with all of my inner struggles and set-backs along the way), my task is simply to rest in who God is and what God has said and done. I read His Word and simply trust that what He has said is true.

When I am going through trials, I look for a precious promise of God in His Word to rest my faith upon. When I need comfort, I find a relevant passage of Scripture and rest in it's truth. When life doesn't make sense, I trust that God loves me and is working all things for my good and His glory.

Quite often I get this wrong. I don't trust. And because of that I have inner turmoil. I have doubts. I have questions.

But God has called us to faith. It's resting. It is resting in who God is and what He has said and done.

And God loves it when we trust in Him. In fact, He will often act in accordance to our trust in Him.

Matthew 9:27-30
"And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, 'Have mercy on us, Son of David.' When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?' They said to him, 'Yes, Lord.' Then he touched their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith be it done to you.' And their eyes were opened."

 What do you need to trust God for today? Why not live by faith today? Trust Him even when things don't make sense. And watch to see what God does. Maybe you won't see or understand God's activity today so write it down. Almost certainly from the vantage point of the future you will be able to look back and see how God worked in response to your trust in Him.