What is faith? According to Hebrews 11:1, faith is “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” What does that mean though? How does that single, simple definition of faith apply to your everyday existence? If you don’t have the answer, you may not be honest with yourself about your beliefs or your reasons for declaring your religious affiliations.
To put the previous statement into perspective, imagine you attained the education and licensure to become a doctor. You called yourself a doctor but never actually treated anyone. Are you really a doctor then?
Faith is a lot like that unused degree, so what can you do to start being true to yourself and your religion? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Faith and Your Finances
It may seem like all you do is work, work, work, yet maybe you always seem to be broke. Moreover, you may feel that you never have time for your family, to do the things you enjoy or just to live in the moment. This is not how God intended life to be.
If you want to work less and live more — truly live — apply faith to your finances. Listen to His voice when he tells you that you don’t need a house two sizes too big for your family, or that it’s okay to trade out your luxury vehicle for a safe but affordable used one. If He says open your own business so you can spend more time with your family, consider doing it. Cut back on your hours at work and cut back on your spending. Though you will have fewer material goods, you’ll have so much more.
Faith and Your Health
There is a reason that the centralized theme of almost every addiction recovery program is faith. Faith is the fuel that helps you work toward and achieve your goals. Whoever (or whatever) you view as your higher power, helps you get through the hard stuff, overcome chemical or food dependence. You don’t have to be a recovering addict to apply faith to your health and daily living.
Whether you want to lose weight, lower your blood sugar levels, reduce your blood pressure or tone your muscles, try letting faith guide your decisions. It won’t get in the way of your goals — only you can do that. If you struggle to get on the path to a truly healthy lifestyle, it may be time to step back and let your faith guide you. You may be surprised by how quickly you accomplish what you set out to do.
Faith and Your Relationships
The Bible contains hundreds of verses that encourage readers to love and love well. Each verse contains its own lesson for how to do just that. However, many emphasize a few points: To invest in your relationships, live with intention, know yourself, let God guide you and pray.
Spend the time and energy to get to know the people you interact with on a daily, weekly, monthly or even annual basis. Act intentionally and not out of fear, anger, frustration or some other negative emotion. Become aware of what you have to give so that you can give to others fully, openly and honestly. Finally, turn to your faith, both throughout your day and during prayer, for the grace, wisdom and courage to love completely and see you through tough times.
Don’t let your faith go unused. Apply it to each area of your life for more fulfillment and happiness.
