Did you know that you can have faith and not use it?

Believing is easy. Acting on what you believe is a heck of a lot harder.

When my husband travels for work, I spend most of my time fretting over his safe return. Though I say I trust God, my anxious behavior suggests otherwise. When I worry, I’m not putting into practice my belief that God is powerful and trustworthy.

If you don’t learn how to use your faith, you’ll miss out on experiencing the fullness of God’s power and presence in your life. And you’ll likely accumulate more pain and problems as a result.

How do you use your faith? 

What it Means

Exercising your faith goes beyond knowledge. In the Bible, the Greek word for faith (pistis) automatically assumes there is action involved. Faith in God means knowing what is right and true and then acting like it’s true.

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds [action], it is dead and useless. James 2:17

Real faith impacts the way you live. Noah’s faith in what God said moved him into action. He didn’t just sit around believing there would be a flood; he built a boat.

If you never drive a car, your driver’s license will provide little value or advantage to you. The same goes for your faith. Your faith will benefit you only as much as you’re willing to use it.

Why It Matters

So you can please God.

And without faith, it is impossible to please God, for He who comes to God must [trust that He is true and able to aid] and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Your faith and trust in God is what pleases Him. God doesn’t need you to fix your weaknesses or get your life together; He wants to do that for you. God wants you to come to Him, believing that He is able to change your life. Having faith means entrusting your burdens to Him, confident He can take care of it.

If you want to please God then put your complete trust in who He is and then behave in a way that reflects that trust.

So you can experience God’s promises.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Something supernatural happens when you practice what you believe. Your active trust and obedience becomes the catalyst by which you experience God’s power and promises in your life.

God offers an endless supply of peace, hope, perseverance, forgiveness, patience and self-control. But you can miss out on fully experiencing these things in your life. When I continue to give into my fears, it leads to greater anxiety and I miss out on the life God intended for me to live. If I want to experience God’s peace and joy, I must actively trust Him with my anxious thoughts.

When you believe God’s promises AND act on them, that’s when you will experience His transforming power in your life.

So you can prove God to be true.

Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words. (Francis of Assisi)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)

Your faith in action becomes the tangible evidence of God’s presence and power to the world around you. When people see proof of God’s power in your life it gives them hope that God can change them too.

The best way to tell others about Jesus is to become living proof of the living God. When you practice your faith, you show others who God is and what He is capable of doing, not only in your life but in their lives as well.

Don’t Miss Out

If you feel like your spiritual life is stagnant, maybe it’s because you haven’t used your faith in awhile. Real life-change happens when you start doing what you know to be true.

God intends for you to use your faith so that you can experience the fullness of His power and presence in your life. Don’t waste the opportunities you have today to practice what you believe.

It’s never too late to start using your faith.

If you believe God is trustworthy, then practice trusting Him. If you believe prayer is powerful, then start praying. If you believe God’s promise to give you peace, then keep casting your cares on Him.

Whatever area you are struggling in today, let your faith in God and His Word move you into action!