"...for we walk by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7 ESV)
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)
Over the years I have seen that faith is largely and simply taking God at his word. We come to trust his character, the Person behind the promises, but we should never let go of the promises he has made in Scripture. It may seem too simple, and childlike, which it is. See Psalm 131 and Luke 18:17, for example.
I have spent much time being overly concerned with my impressions, my feelings, my felt experience, and my sense of where I think (or feel) God is (or is not) and what I think he is doing (or not doing). The Scriptures tell us over and over again that we walk by faith not by sight, and that faith is being assured and convicted of things not seen.
Faith is not a matter of being pumped up with excitement but rather walking in trust and obedience to God's word, whether we see or feel anything or not. Whether we feel very passionate or not, we should still believe God and walk in faithfulness to him.
Archibald Alexander (1772--1851), a Princeton professor and a preacher during the second great awakening, wrote to younger believers...
"Young converts are prone to depend too much on joyful frames*, and love high excitement in their devotional exercises; but their heavenly Father cures them of this folly, by leaving them for a season to walk in darkness and struggle with their own corruptions. When most sorely pressed and discouraged, however, He strengthens them with might in the inner man. He enables them to stand firmly against temptation; or, if they slide, he quickly restores them, and by such exercises they become much more sensible of their entire dependence than they were at first."
*frame = a particular state of mind or feeling.
-- Archibald Alexander from "Practical Directions How to Grow in Grace and Make Progress in Piety"
"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)
Over the years I have seen that faith is largely and simply taking God at his word. We come to trust his character, the Person behind the promises, but we should never let go of the promises he has made in Scripture. It may seem too simple, and childlike, which it is. See Psalm 131 and Luke 18:17, for example.
I have spent much time being overly concerned with my impressions, my feelings, my felt experience, and my sense of where I think (or feel) God is (or is not) and what I think he is doing (or not doing). The Scriptures tell us over and over again that we walk by faith not by sight, and that faith is being assured and convicted of things not seen.
Faith is not a matter of being pumped up with excitement but rather walking in trust and obedience to God's word, whether we see or feel anything or not. Whether we feel very passionate or not, we should still believe God and walk in faithfulness to him.
Archibald Alexander (1772--1851), a Princeton professor and a preacher during the second great awakening, wrote to younger believers...
"Young converts are prone to depend too much on joyful frames*, and love high excitement in their devotional exercises; but their heavenly Father cures them of this folly, by leaving them for a season to walk in darkness and struggle with their own corruptions. When most sorely pressed and discouraged, however, He strengthens them with might in the inner man. He enables them to stand firmly against temptation; or, if they slide, he quickly restores them, and by such exercises they become much more sensible of their entire dependence than they were at first."
*frame = a particular state of mind or feeling.
-- Archibald Alexander from "Practical Directions How to Grow in Grace and Make Progress in Piety"
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