Mamas in Faith

To understand what living in faith is we must first have an understanding of what faith is. You may be under the impression that faith is just a blind acceptance that God is there, and we must trust that He has already worked everything out. While God has His plan that does not mean that faith is us blindly walking through life all carefree or simply repeating, “God’s got this” to ourselves when life feels hard. That faith is merely a word that Christians throw around when things get hard. Or when things turn out their way because they “clung to their faith.” You may even think of the word faith as a substitute word for religion. Faith has such a deeper meaning than what we are lead to believe today.

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen. For by it our ancestors won God's approval. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible. Hebrews 11:1-3 Christian Standard Bible

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

In Hebrews 11 we are given examples of God’s people who truly lived by faith, in fact Hebrews tells us they died in faith because they had not yet received what had been promised to them from God. Faith is not simply a blind walk in step with others who claim to know Jesus either.

Faith as defined by the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary is “Today faith denotes trust. Faith does not function as a verb in contemporary English; the verb ‘to believe’ has replaced the verb ‘to faith.’ The English noun ‘faithfulness’ denotes trustworthiness or dependability.” Webster’s definition of faith “firm belief in something for which there is no proof; allegiance to duty or a person” If we compare modern definitions to the concepts of faith outlined in the Bible we will find that today’s explanations of faith will almost always fall short of the what it was intended to mean when we are reading through Scripture and attempting to live a life in faith.

While there is still more to be heard on what faith is, especially since how faith is viewed now has been truncated by the linguistic changes over the years it is important to note that Christians are called to live by faith. In Romans 1 we read:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because itis the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: the righteous will live by faith. (Romans 1:16-17 CSB)

So then how are you to understand what faith means on a deeper level than just knowing a definition given to us by modern thinkers? I would dare to say that we can learn from a couple different ways. One could be seen as a little more concrete than others. One I would have liked to understood before having to walk through some of my own trials the last few years, but then again maybe I would not be writing this out to you if I would have had a better understanding. Anyhow one way to have a deeper understanding of what faith looks like and what it means to live in faith is to open up the Word and see the examples throughout Scripture for yourself. Many today look only to the New Testament when they are attempting to learn something practical for today’s life, but I would like to encourage you that the Old Testament is rich with examples on many areas that are key to today’s way of life too. Some key people to read about that show examples of living by faith in the Old Testament are

• Abel
• Enoch
• Sarah
• Caleb
• Jehoshaphat
• Job

And since all of Scripture is important here are some that are key in the New Testament as well

• Jairus
• Sick woman
• Sinful woman
• Lydia
• Philippian jailer

These examples are just a few that Scripture provides to us of what it looks like to live by faith.

My question for you before moving forward on my own thoughts on what it means to live in faith is how do you define faith and how does it align to the concept of living a life that glorifies God?

Faith is refusing to be a glory thief any longer and living for the greater glory of God. Paul David Tripp

Now faith, in the sense in which I am here using the word, is the art of holding onto things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods. For moods will change, whatever view your reason takes. I know that by experience… C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

Lewis goes onto say that faith is a necessary virtue because feelings are fleeting but you can train your habit of faith.

To me living in faith is the daily willingness to work towards obedience to God.

In my life at this current time (March of 2025) some of what that looks like, waking daily and consuming the Word so that my discernment is truly from a biblical worldview and not merely a mainstream Christian worldview. Working daily to steward my body well even when life feels hard because of current struggles with autoimmune diseases. (1 Corinthians 10:31) (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Growing in my prayer life because Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Living in faith as I have grown to understand it so far is the active obedience to the Lord because of your belief in God. It is no small act, and it is not based on blind following just because someone else told you to do so. Faith then is a habit that can be built and grown as you grow through the sanctification process, your acts of faith then draw you nearer to God because of a willingness to obey His commands.

So with that understanding a mama in faith would be a mother trusting that our God is sovereign and it is our duty to be obedient to His Word. Choosing daily to raise up our children to also live by faith one day, with the knowledge that it is not a blind following but a willful act of trust because we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit.

What else would you add about what it looks like to live in faith?