What Is Faith?

Today's sermon was on the topic of FAITH. The sermon started with a good question - What is faith? The speaker said, "....faith is that which moves us, not the mountains." What an interesting introduction but unfortunately, the rest of the sermon set my mind wandering. It didn't stray too far. I was still trying to figure out what faith is when the answer came to me almost immediately.

Years ago when my mother was laying unconscious in the hospital, I struggled with faith. I thought then if I believed that God will heal her, He will. She was never healed and that really confused me about my own faith. Didn't Jesus say that everything is possible for him who believes (Mark 9:23) and that when we ask in prayer and believe that we have received it, it will be ours (Mark 11:24)? Was I without faith at all? Just what exactly does God want and why was it so difficult to believe? God didn't seem to be listening to my prayers. Over the years, friends and relatives stricken with terminal illnesses died inspite of my fervent prayers for healing. I was completely confused about what faith is.

This morning, I realised that faith isn't primarily about what I want. Before Jesus healed the man with the shrivelled hand (Mark 3:1) He said to him, "Stretch out your hand." What did the man reply? My hand is shrivelled, how can I stretch it out? On the contrary, he obeyed without a word. Scripture recorded: "He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored."

Three things I learnt through the Holy Spirit who instructs us in our hearts. Firstly, faith is listening to what God is saying. Secondly, understanding His instructions and thirdly, doing what He tells us to do. Just like the man with the withered hand. Just like Abraham when he was told to uproot himself and his family and go settle in a strange land.

There are things that I desire to have, people I desire to be with and places that I desire to go to but if the Lord says no I have enough faith to say, it's alright. I believe that Your decision is the best one for me. I will go where You want me to go and I will give up what You don't want me to have, happily and without worry. That's faith. That's faith that pleases God. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..........