Serving our Father God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Holy Spirit filled ministry since 1997!
Serving our Father God and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in Holy Spirit filled ministry since 1997!
Faith is a gift from God. “By grace, you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourself, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8)
As I read a note from a sermon about faith, I was reminded of many different kinds of faith revealed in the gospels. There is:
• Intellectual faith – theoretically believing something is true without proof or commitment.
• Saving faith – trusting in Jesus, the Son of God, for both forgiveness of sins and eternal life, stemming from a personal relationship.
• No faith – the disciples showed this during the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Luke 8:23-25).
• Little faith – in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught that worrying about basic needs was a sign of having little faith (Matthew 6:30).
• Great faith – the centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant with a word is an example of great faith.
• Faith failure – at times, we all fall short, like when Peter denied Jesus (Matthew 26:69-75).
• Wavering faith – when trusting in God conflicts with human reason, we allow feelings to overcome our faith; we fail to see God at work in our circumstances; we focus on our circumstances rather than God.
It helps to ask yourself, “What kind of faith do I have?” I told myself I would like to have great faith like the centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant with a word, and he considered it done. As the children of God, we rely on faith to lead us through life and provide strength when faced with difficulties or hardships.
Not long ago, I encountered a very traumatic ordeal. Thanks to God and His divine protection over me, I was saved. However, as a result of the ordeal, I was shaken mentally, physically, and emotionally. I went through very hard times. However, God was with me. He comforted me and taught me a lesson about unshakeable faith and trust on a deeper level. Even though it was a long and challenging process for me, the outcome of my anguish is that my trust and faith have grown deeper in my Savior. I thank God every morning for giving me another day and for the strength to go about my day. He gives me peace, and His love embraces me. He sustains me. He is my Jehovah El Roi—the God who sees me! Thank God for my Savior Jesus Christ.
We live in this dark world, and sadly, many believers are giving up on their trust and faith in God. They are angry with God for allowing bad things to happen to them. Sisters and brothers, I plead with you to hold on tight to your faith and never give up. No matter the circumstances, challenges, hardships, or trials you face now, keep your trust in the Good Shepherd and your fire of faith burning. We are serving the God who sees us and saves us. He is our Jehovah El Roi. Have a great and unshakable faith!
Kim Wong is a daughter, sister, and mother of two daughters. She is a member of a local church in Livermore, California, where she served in children’s ministry. She recently retired as an administrator at the State Bar of California.