Faith-in-Action: Luke 17:13-17

I have heard this saying: “Believe and you receive; doubt and do without”. This saying resonates around faith. But what exactly is faith? And where does faith come from? As the Scripture says: “Faith is the substance of the things we hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, and faith comes by hearing the word of God”. The Lord gave each of us a measure of faith which we use to believe in Jesus Christ. Yet, this measure is only a seed that must be sowed and nurtured to produce fruit. This can be accomplished by believing the Word and studying it. Faith is a currency in God's kingdom. Whatever we desire that fits in with the will of God for our lives, can be acquired by faith.

Nonetheless, this whole thing about faith can become so difficult at times. People always say "just have faith in God," a statement that seems like a mere religious statement. Telling someone to have faith in God when they are undergoing a painful situation may not help, no matter how religiously correct it is. And yet, it’s those words Jesus told his disciples after he cursed the fig tree and they saw immediate results.

As I studied the Scripture this week, I recognize that the stories in 2 Kings 5:14-15 and Luke 17:13-17 both address the subject of faith. In 2 Kings 5, Naaman was told by the prophet to go and dip seven times in the dirty Jordan river, and he would be healed of leprosy. He obeyed and was healed of his leprosy. Then Jesus instructed the ten lepers in Luke 17, to go and show themselves to the priest, and as they went they were healed.


One key aspect of faith is that you will never prove its effectiveness until you put it to work. Does that make sense? Faith is demonstrated by actions. Exercising faith is taking actions according to promises God gave you for a particular situation. Sadly, what we do not understand, becomes difficult for us to collaborate with, and faith is one of those subjects that can become a difficult exercise for even the strongest believer.

Recently I was at a crossroads because I was struggling with my faith. Fear breached the walls of my mind with doubtful thoughts which increased the struggle. However, recognizing that I needed support, I contacted two sisters in Christ and explained my dilemma. They provided encouraging words that acted as faith-boosters and helped me to shift my focus off the situation unto God. I read Job Chapter 38, that revealed a whisper of God's greatness, Sovereignty and Divine Providence, and then I served FEAR an eviction notice. It wasn't a good tenant anyway.

So here is my encouragement: if you are struggling with your faith, struggling to believe God for a breakthrough, or struggling with fear, reach out to a faith-booster brother or sister or friend. We all need support from others, and sometimes those we least expect it from may be the ones God places in our reach. Share your burden with another believer and take that step in faith.

 

R.G.  13/10/25

Image: freebibleimages.org

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