Who's Your Faith In?
What is the definition of faith? I looked it up and these are the two definitions:
1. complete trust or confidence in someone or something
2. strong belief in God or in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual apprehension rather than proof.
So, who is your trust and confidence, Christ-centered, whole-hearted, belief without a doubt - faith in? I’m sure all of our answers would be God or Jesus.
That’s definitely a good starting point, but it should also be our ending point.
If you’ve been part of a church or around Christians for any significant amount of time, you more than likely have come across people who you would deem “a near-perfect Christian.” This of course comes based on your own criteria of what that means to you. It could be the person who never misses a Sunday, the person who serves on every team possible, it could be your small group leader, it could even be the pastor. This could also happen within your family, putting your parents or spouse on that pedestal.
It’s very easy to sift your faith in Christ through other people. What do I mean? I mean, it’s very easy to get hurt, disappointed, or offended when someone you hold to the standard of perfection, does something that doesn’t fit into the criteria you’ve placed on them.
In Numbers 23:19, the Bible says “God is not a man, that He should lie.”
I have been upset with God and hurt, because of someone else’s actions not living up to this unknowing standard I set for them. I found myself saying “How could they act like that? They’re supposed to be a Christian.” I felt myself losing faith. But who was I losing faith in? Which begged the question, who was my faith in to begin with? God didn’t make that person do that. God didn’t disappoint me, He didn’t hurt me, He didn’t offend me.
Whether you’re new to Christianity or born into a church-going, Bible-believing family, this is something you can easily fall trap to.
When I feel myself getting offended or disappointed, I have to check who my faith is in.
Now, this doesn’t mean to not hold your brothers and sisters in Christ accountable- but to check your own feelings to make sure your faith in Christ is not teetering because you’ve misplaced it in someone else.