By KRISTAN DOOLEY
Our faith matters to God. He not only cares we have it, but He cares we do something with it. Faith directly affects our ability to move forward. Without faith, we will struggle to fully follow as He leads us.
In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus tells a parable about a businessman going on a long journey. This businessman called his servants to him and entrusted them to manage his wealth while he was away. To one servant he gave five bags of gold, to another, two and to another, one. The first servant took his five bags of gold, invested them, and earned five more. The second servant took his two bags of gold, invested them, and earned two more. But the third servant, the one who received only one bag, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money because he greatly feared losing it.
When the master returned from his trip, he summoned his servants and asked what they did with his money. The servant given five bags of gold brought those five as well as the five new ones he earned and laid them before the master. The servant given two bags of gold brought those two as well as two more bags he earned and laid them before the master. When the master got to the servant he entrusted with one bag of gold the servant replied, “I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you” (Matt. 25:25).
I don’t want to live life with my faith buried in a field somewhere because I fear what may or may not happen. I want to live my life full of faith, trusting that my Father in heaven sees me, He knows me and He’s got me. In the beginning, the unknown questions, “What if it doesn’t work? What if they laugh? What if I look foolish? What if I don’t have the right words to say?” ran rampant in my mind, but the more I chose faith over fear and stepped into what I didn’t know, the quieter those voices became. At this point in my life, it’s almost second nature to believe in such a way it demands my faith be activated.
Just like the master gave gold to his servants, God has given each of us a portion of faith. It is what we do with our portion that makes the difference. We cannot bury our faith in a field and expect it to grow. We cannot wrap it up, hide it in the closet, and wait for it to work miracles. Hidden faith will not push us to more of Jesus. Buried faith keeps us stranded right where we are.
FOR FURTHER THOUGHT God is honored when we take the necessary steps to increase our faith. He is committed to helping it grow. What step might you take today to activate your faith? Where is it you could believe for that which you don’t see? How might you encourage someone around you to walk by faith and not by sight? If your faith has been buried, dig it up and do something with it. You won’t be disappointed you believed.
PRAYER Increase my faith, Father. Give me the courage to a person who believes in the impossible. Grow me deeper so I may stand regardless of what I see. Thank You for the call to risk, for the invitation to be active and for the growth that always follows faith-filled steps. I love watching You move. Move me in faith today, Amen.
Kristan Dooley
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