On our lifelong journey with God, we will inevitably encounter others who are walking the same path. The longer we spend time with them, the more we’ll see the traits that they exhibit often. One particular trait that’s quite common is getting advice from someone about faith who’s not demonstrating it themselves.
We can all agree that none of us are perfect and everyone has shortcomings. However, it’s important to be mindful of the people you’re taking this kind of advice from because they might not speak from firsthand experience of how they grew in their faith.
Here are a few things that will help you gain clarity on how to receive guidance about faith.
Why is faith important in everyday life?
Faith is always a present aspect of Christianity. The Bible speaks about it extensively in verses such as Hebrews 11:1“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (NIV) and Romans 10:17 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” (NIV)
It is possible to apply these scriptures in our daily lives when things do not go according to plan.
It’s clear that faith is a necessity, especially in this day and age. This is why it’s key to discern a person of faith so that you can surround yourself with more people that embody that to grow as a Christian.
What are the characteristics of a person of faith?
1. People who live with faith speak life into any situation (good or bad). While it can be difficult to speak negatively during tough times, doing so can undermine your faith.
“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” James 3:6 (NIV)
2. Living with faith also means allowing God to use you without hesitation. You are able to live freely once you use the gifts God has given you.
“A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)
3. On a person’s journey with faith, it can be easy to become a people pleaser because you want to help. However, true faith means centering God in the middle of everything rather than the validation of others.
“Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.” Colossians 3:23 (NLT)
Why am I getting advice about faith from people who live without it?
You should be able to identify those around you who are clearly religious and those who are not. For the latter, offering faith advice could be easier than actually taking the time to change those habits and learning how to literally “let go and let God.”
For some they recognize that and would rather their friends, family, and loved ones do a better job of living a faith-filled life than them. It truly depends on a person’s situation as to why their faith might be lacking yet they’re giving you advice about how to live with it. Either way, if you know someone in your life who’s like this continuously, keep them in prayer and ask God to provide them with more direction to move with faith.
Faith isn’t always a linear process. When you’re in a good place, it can be simpler to handle than when things are difficult. The ability to ensure faith no matter what, to give the right guidance about that, and to display that faith for everyone to see is something that should be praised.
(Featured image credit: Photo by Christina at wocintechchat.com on Unsplash)
