See in the Dark

Sometimes we walk blind. Sometimes evidence of God in our lives is evident and sometimes an ebony night swaddles us and we must see in the dark.

Last night i was part of a much needed, albeit a tad confusing conversation on faith. What is faith? What is our faith in? Everyone has faith in something so how is faith in Christ different?

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen; for we walk by faith, not by sight. It does not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Faith in Christ comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Faith acts as a shield, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. It is through faith by grace you have been saved, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Even if we are faithless, God remains faithful— for He cannot deny himself (1 Corinthians 2:5; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 2:13; Hebrews 11:1; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 6:16).

Everyone has faith in something - possessions, money, relationships, self - but what happens when that something fails you? Sometimes it takes all else to fail for faith in the One to come or return.

The thing that resonated with me the most was this awesome reminder: God requires something of us, of which we cannot produce ourselves. He requires faith in Him which can only come from the free gift (redundant for a reason) of faith. Faith is illuminated by the Gospel and tended to by the Holy Spirit of promise:
In him (Christ) you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1:11-14

We are not sufficient, we cannot do it ourselves. We have done nothing to obtain this grace of faith therefore can do nothing to lose it. No matter how dark it seems.

Jesus saith unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."
John 20:29