Choosing to Live by Faith!

Habakkuk 2:4 – “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.”

A lot is going on in the world today and things are getting crazier. Every day, all day, there is “breaking news” and we are becoming less and less concerned about the activities in the world in which we live because it is difficult to keep up with them. (At least I hope that is why we are becoming indifferent!)

People are dying in the streets and there is little or no outcry about it! Politicians are only interested in keeping their seat and being the party in control. The Church wants to make sure it is not bothered and continue on as they are going. And citizens are so confused, hurt, and disillusioned that they no longer know what they believe or why they believe it. Things are a mess!!

But Habakkuk wrote, “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him!” In other words, “Look at these people who think they are untouchable because of their riches, their positions, their connections and their influence, their soul (their heart, their thinking, their “vision” of all that is happening, is not right!) Their pride has gotten the best of them!

In dealing with children in the classroom over the past few years, trying to help them work through conflict effectively, they seem to be more aware of the seemingly heartless times in which we live. So much so, they feel justified in their behavior because the “adults” on television, in the news, in their communities, and some times in their homes are living the same way. A life of pride where their soul is just not right!

However, God encourages us on four different occasions in the Word, that the just shall live by their faith! 

Living by faith is not an easy task. Nor is it popular! But God is not concerned with what is easy or what is popular. He is still saying today that those who know Him are to live differently than the world lives. We are to live by faith!

I remember a few years ago the government made a distressing decision that negatively affected the Christian community. I was called by a dear friend and she asked me what were going to do. I told her that we would continue to do what we were doing and trust God with that other stuff. Although, there are still ramifications from that decision, I choose to walk by what I believe and not by what I hear, see, or feel. That’s the faith walk!

Today, as I write this blog, I am sitting in airport waiting on my flight for home. My flight was actually scheduled for later on tonight, but as we were eating breakfast and making plans for our last day of vacation, we received an alert from the airline stating that our flights were canceled. 

Mind you, that last night I specifically prayed that we would not have canceled flights or delayed flights. On the way here, our flight was delayed three times. I didn’t think to pray at that time about that although I prayed about every thing else. So lo and behold, our flight was not delayed, it was canceled. 

Instead of fretting, we declared that all would be well. We actually ended up with an earlier flight, immediately. This was great because my husband had something come up unexpectedly that he needed to get back for. 

My sister met us here and her flight was also canceled. She didn’t get on a flight immediately. She was actually told that all flights to her destination were sold out. But we prayed and decreed that she would get on a flight.

After several nos and even being booked on a flight for tomorrow, we continued to believe God that she would get a flight out. And wouldn’t you know it!! She did! She left at the same time that we left and got home a little later than we did. And we all got home earlier than our original flights. Look at God!!

So how are you living when curve balls are thrown at you in this life? Are you frustrated and angry? Whining and complaining? Defeated and disgusted? Or are you choosing every day to believe that God is looking out for you and He can be trusted?

I get it! Living by faith isn’t easy, but it is a choice. I’m not successful in every situation at the living by faith mantra, but I am choosing more and more to make that the first way I look at a situation instead of the last.

Every day! One day at a time! One situation at a time, we get to choose to live by faith and not like the world-thinking that we can handle things in our strength and in our own way, like the proud! Thinking that we have to accept every thing that is thrown our way because of the powers that be. We can continue to do that, or we can walk by faith trusting that God can change situations around in our favor, for our good! 

Today, we chose right! We chose faith! And God worked things out for our good and His glory! And it goes to show that walking by faith can be more adventurous and worthwhile than just living life and getting by in life. Wonderful Jesus!!