What is faith? What does it mean to have faith?

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What is faith? What does it mean to have faith? For as long as I’ve remembered, the definition of the word has always come from Hebrew 11:1

” Now Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – KJV 

I have heard pastors, bible teachers, and preachers try to explain the passage in so many different ways. Hebrew 11:1 has always been a passage  I am adept at quoting off the top of my head. However, I believe that there is a difference between just quoting a passage and actually connecting with it. It should make sense on a more than a superficial level. Well, the other day, I came across a pretty awesome definition of faith that is attributed to Saint Augustine:

“Faith is believing what we do not see, and the result of faith is seeing what we believe.” – Saint Augustine

Defining Faith

In a nutshell, if we are patient and we believe it, we will see it. When we face mountains, if we believe they have been leveled, they will be. An important part of our journey with God is waiting on him for answers to our prayers. Faith involves the belief that when we pray, God hears us and will answer us. It involves patience and knowing that in due time, at the appointed time, we will get what we have asked for.

How I Define Faith

I have never thought about it that way – that we get what we believe (the caveat being that it falls in line with God’s plan for us). Hoping and believing without doubt is not easy, but when I remember that I was not created to be perfect, that God wakes me up each day so I can continue to work and perfect myself, and that the end result of my work will be what I hope for, it makes my life journey much easier.

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