Irritated Faith

What’s the best way to tell if your faith is real? The apostle Peter, who was an expert in this area, says that the best way to tell if your faith is authentic is when it encounters hardship. “These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire test gold…so when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (1 Peter 1:7 NLT)

If your faith has not been tested, you may have faith, but rest assured it will be little and likely will remain that way as long as it goes on without trials. Faith never prospers until situations come up against it. The storms of life are good trainers to condition and strengthen your faith. Jesus reminded the disciples of their undersized faith when they woke Him up from sleeping during a terrible thunderstorm at sea (Mat. 8:26). Christ then demonstrated how potent faith can be by rebuking the winds and the sea and all became calm. When the winds of trouble rush in and begin to howl against your life your faith is being tested. When the waters of fear begin to rise and attempt to rock your world tossing you away from what you hold dear it is at this point you can make headway in your faith. No prized pearl is ever produced without some irritating sand and no faith is as precious as that which triumphs in adversity. Irritated faith brings experience that can take into your future helping you to finish faithful.

You can never know the strength of God if you have not been through the flood-waters. It is in those moments you realize He is the One supporting you. Your faith increases in strength, assurance, and  intensity the more it is exercised through difficulty. Because of the trials that you’ve come through your faith becomes priceless.
 
If you are just starting out in your faith journey don’t be discouraged if you haven’t had stormy experiences yet, you will encounter enough of them along your path without having to go look for them. Rest assured they will come in due season. So in the meantime, begin thanking God for the grace you are walking in and praise Him for the blessings of clam seas for soon enough your faith will move mountains and overcome impossibilities in His name.

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