I think a lot of times we associate our spiritual faith with believing God to do things we need done that we can’t do ourselves. To me, that’s a huge part of how we prove our faith to ourselves, but I also believe that faith isn’t just for the rough times. Faith is about believing in Jesus, the Almighty God, no matter what’s going on in our lives- up or down, good or bad, easy breezy or rough and tough.
We can place our faith in a lot of different things- other people, our jobs, our financial stability, or even our own abilities to get things done “right.” The true test of our faith is our immediate reaction when something happens. Do we default to our own strength- trusting ourselves to figure it out or patting ourselves on the back when something goes right- or do we first look to Jesus, asking for His guidance and intervention when we’re in need, or giving Him glory for our successes?
When life is rough and we feel powerless, it’s easy to turn to God (especially after we’ve done all we can or know to do). But what about the times when everything’s going well? What about when life is great and everything’s lining up exactly as we’d hoped? What role does faith play then?
It’s my strong believe that faith is essential for every season of our lives. Going to God only when we have no other option isn’t really faith at all; faith isn’t about a last resort. The measure of our faith, I think, is better indicated by the health of our relationship with God during the good times. Do you pray as often when you don’t need anything vs. when you need God to act on your behalf? Do you seek divine direction when first presented with a decision, or only after your plans have failed? Do you let things get in the way of your faithful attendance to and involvement in church, or are you consistent no matter what’s going on in your life?
For we walk by faith not by sight. – 2 Corinthians 5:7
No matter what life looks like, our faith in God should be consistent. Through every season of life, He should be first so that we can remain connected, guided, and properly aligned with Him. So I encourage you: keep reading your Word at home every day; pray consistently; be faithful to church, and be the church everywhere you go. How can your light shine for everyone to see if you only turn it on selectively? The light of your life is your faith in God, fueled by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. You can’t just put that on a shelf when life gets busy or hard and you think it’s time to take matters into your own hands. Trust God. Be strong in your faith, no matter what season you’re in.