A Leap of Faith

“Ye also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house…to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” I Peter 2:5

Some days I don’t feel like I’m being built up. Some days I feel more like life is beating me down. When life gets complicated, when burdens get heavy, when I get tired, disappointed, it’s so easy for my focus to shift from joy in Jesus to unruly unrest.

Faith needs to be continually exercised and spiritual stamina bolstered because life is demanding. Just when I think my faith has been challenged, and stretched, and tested to the limit, God begins to change the limit and move me forward! The goal? To build me up.

This is more often than not, uncomfortable, even painful. But this is both the mystery and strength of faith. We don’t set the limits! God does. And if our faith is resting in Him, it will be enough. I can always count on Him, and on His Word to provide the stability I need amidst all the unrest.

I am experiencing God’s perfect timing in the work of faith He is doing in me again. As if to remind me of what’s happening, when I am in need of “being built up”, Rog gets to the book of Hebrews in his chronological study of the Scripture that he has been taking us through at church. It’s one thing to read of the victories and triumphs, all accomplished by faith, but the turn that triumph takes in Hebrews 11: 35 is a heart-stopper; “Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance….and others….they were stoned, they were torn asunder….”. Not exactly what we might first consider triumphant faith.

Sounds like they were a little beaten down themselves.

God says they all obtained a good report through faith (v. 39).

As a “living stone”, I do not want my faith to stagnate. I want my faith to be strong, and vibrant, and active. But I must trust a loving Father to determine the path my faith will take in its triumph, and determine to trust Him. A painful triumph is still a triumph. A vibrant, built-up faith will be a sacrifice God will be pleased to accept and honor.

It’s time to take another leap of faith.