Do you enjoy practicing your sport or hobby as much as reaching the final result?
Whether you are athletic, creative, or mechanical, practice is needed even though it can seem tedious.
Practice can even relate to our faith. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines athletics as “the practice or principles of athletic activities.” So, we might define ‘faith-letics’ as the practice or principles of faith activities.
Faith is complete trust in someone or something which cannot be proven. Hebrews 11:2 (ESV) says, “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” When we have faith in something, we act on it! It’s as if we climb out on a limb we cannot fully see, confident that the limb will both hold us and have fruit for us to pick at its end.
In our personal Christian faith, do we live as if we really have faith in the God who loves us enough to save our soul? Do we live as if we really have faith that he will firmly hold us, wisely direct us, and lovingly bless us with his presence?
What is your ‘faith-letic’ ability?
Faith doesn’t really mean much if we don’t act on it. It seems easy to say, “I believe in God. I’m a Christian.” But, when hard times come, do we trust God to handle our situations in the way he knows is best? Do we act like the God we serve is the same God who opened the Red Sea for the Israelites, who raised dead people back to life, and who put Jesus on the cross so that we could have relationship with him? Do we handle our difficulties by taking them to God in prayer, meditating on his truths in the Word, and following his directives in obedience… even when we’d rather not?
Or, do we try to handle challenges our own way, based on our emotions and others’ opinions, and then call it quits without giving God the opportunity to work and demonstrate his restorative power?
The apostle James offers encouragement for putting our faith into practice during tough times. “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him” (1:12 NIV). “Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (1:22 NIV). What is our faith if we live like we do not have it?
Let’s put our faith into practice and live like we mean it!
Get started with a practice routine by using a Heart Training book to get in the Word and apply it each day!