Believe

Believe

By Maria Ando

Isaiah 26:3-4 

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Believing In a Know So Hope!

Believing in God is a topic often discussed in churches, and for those who grow up in the church, often redundant. But what does it actually look like, and how do we practically practice it as Christians in our daily lives? Merriam Webster defines it as “belief and trust in and loyalty to God…: firm belief in something for which there is no proof… a firm trust.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, s.v. "faith") This is not what we see in Scripture though. One of my favorite phrases that my pastor, Kevin Holman says is that belief isn’t a “hope-so” hope, it's a “know-so” hope”. (Kevin Holman, personal communication) What I mean by this, we don’t have a “belief in something for which there is no proof.” God is not a wishing well that we throw a quarter in and hope that our wish will come true. Instead, we see in Isaiah 26:3-4 that believing in God is trusting in the Lord by keeping our mind on Him. Let’s take a look at a Biblical example. 

Joseph Believes 

The book of Genesis tells the tumultuous story of Joseph. Joseph is sold into slavery by his own jealous brothers. Joseph easily could’ve thought, “This isn’t fair! God has abandoned me!” Instead, we see that Joseph was not looking at his current life situation, instead believing of his citizenship in heaven as mentioned in Philippians 3:20. At the end of the book of Genesis, we see Joseph’s happy ending and facing the same brothers that betrayed him. His response? ““You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20) He believed in God and kept his mind on pleasing Him instead of his current troubles. 

How to Practice Belief 

I got saved at 5 years old. I have never known a world where I didn’t know that I was a sinner, depraved and needing a Savior. Throughout my teen/young adult life I’d felt distant from God, wondering why. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I was looking for the “hope so” hope, that fluffy feeling when you think your team will win. The Lord, gently and quietly, challenged me that He wasn’t just there when I felt close to Him. I had been looking for a certain sign that I was a “good Christian” all while ignoring the gentle ways He was speaking to me. He speaks to me through a kind word of a friend, a gentle nudge to not get angry at the crazy Florida driver, the subtle conviction to ask a stranger to sit with me at lunch. The verse about keeping our mind stayed on Him has become truly real to me. As I’ve grown in my faith, I’ve realized that my relationship with Him isn’t a large message in the sky but is constantly being reminded how good it is to know the end of the story, to believe with full confidence that the King of the Universe somehow calls me His friend. With that belief in mind, I don’t need to be anxious or worried. Instead, I “keep my eyes stayed on him” and therefore have perfect peace and trust in my belief in God. 

Friends, as we transition into the school year let’s put it into practice. For example, believe in the Lord by remembering the promises in God’s Word. Keep our mind on our Heavenly Master, despite the chaos of this world. Stay in prayer, in constant conversation with God even when He seems to be far away. Belief is not just a feeling; it is a relationship that is built on how we live.