Be Faithful

41 - Faith

“Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 It is an obligation of loyalty. A belief that is not based on proof. It is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things that are not seen. It is said that faith can move mountains, even if you only have faith as small as a mustard seed. Faith is a powerful gift we have been given to fill us with hope, joy, peace, confidence, and the endurance to continue believing.

Characteristics of Faith:

Hope. Faith is a powerful force that can passionately fill your body, mind, and soul with the hope that you feel enlivened and eager to take action. It may drive you to a compassionate action of serving others. Or perhaps it will invigorate you to tackle a difficult project or situation you have been trying to bury or conveniently ignore. The hope created through faith is sure to fill your mind with positive energy and envelop you with creative and inspiring ideas and concepts that should be captured and funneled into a supportive leadership action. Use hope to grow your associates, business, and family and build friendships. Do not waste this precious, prosperous, empowering gift filled with delight and innovation.
Belief. Faith is trust in the unseen. You believe with intentional hope in something and know in your heart there is nothing to fear. Your mind is convicted of the truth. Not "a" truth or "your" truth, but THE truth. With all certainty, you have confident assurance and peace of mind. Any doubt is absent, leaving you in an elevated and serene state of pure belief.
Joy. In the absence of any and all doubt, there is joy. There is an energized hope for good things to come. You can enjoy a feeling of well-being and contentment, secure in the fact that you believe in yourself and a valued cause, having hope in the good things that await you. There is a source of great satisfaction as you exhibit faith and eliminate all fear.
Peace. In the absence of fear, there is a confident serenity in the freedom from disquieting thoughts or emotions. Peace emanates throughout your body, arousing positive life and vigor, revitalizing your spirit, and radiating tranquility. This peace-filled state allows for a rushing flow of supportive thoughts and ideas.
Confidence. Faith in something or someone creates an atmosphere of confidence, as there is no room for doubt or concern. Whether it is faith in yourself or your abilities or faith in another, you are free from doubt and filled with confidence, hope, and trust. You are in an excellent position of empowerment and productivity. Utilize this invigorating confidence in further developing your business, coworkers, and family members.
Endurance. Faith provides the encouragement to persist, despite challenges along the way. You will have an uninterrupted drive to pursue a process or commitment with faith in the good things you believe in. You will endure. And not just endure, you will cheerfully endure with an energized ability and magnified belief filled with hope and security.
Love. As stated in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “There are three things that last – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is the gift of love.” In faith, you believe in what is to come without the evidence of it yet happening. In eager and prepared anticipation, you remain hopeful that it will happen. Yet there will be a day that what you had hoped for, and shown great faith in, is now fulfilled. And what remains is the precious gift of LOVE.
Patience. It takes patience as you wait faithfully for your desire or expectation to be fulfilled. During this time, you may need to endure hardships and difficulties. With uninterrupted patience, remain hope-filled and without complaint, endure the process, and be filled with the gift of peace, believing wholeheartedly in the arrival of the object of your faith.
The opposite of fear. Faith is the absence of fear. With complete and pure faith, there is nothing left to fear. As mentioned, fear is a false belief in something that has not even occurred. It is not a real event, but rather, something imagined that you invented that ‘may’ occur. Rather than waste energy and time on a fake event, place full confidence in yourself and direct all your energy to have full faith. You are aligned with pure motives and values. You make selective and supportive choices. Now believe in yourself and your ability to make good decisions. Have complete faith in yourself and your processes. Eliminate all fear from your life. With full faith, fear will cease to exist. Faith is more powerful than fear, but it is a choice you must make.
Trust. Trust in yourself. Believe in yourself. Consider your thoughts right and true, and be confident in your decisions. Have faith and keep the faith.

“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.”

Corrie Ten Boom

“To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”

Thomas Aquinas

“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.”

Max Lucado

“There are two primary forces in this world, fear and faith. Fear can move you to destructiveness or sickness or failure. Only in rare instances will it motivate you to accomplishment. But faith is a greater force. Faith can drive itself into your consciousness and set you free from fear forever.”

Norman Vincent Peale