James asked a good question: “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works?” (James 2:14). The Message Translation says, “Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it?”
I was personally challenged by this recently. My annual women’s conference was this past week and at the end of one of the services, our guest minister had led the ladies into a time of worship and prayer and then sat down beside me. It was a beautiful time as we poured our hearts out to God and received His love at the same time. But as the host of the conference, I knew I needed to go forward at some point and close things down for the evening, but I didn’t want to interrupt what God was doing.
But more than that, I had no idea what I was going to say.
I haven’t arrived by any means, but as a somewhat seasoned minister, I’ve learned the little nudges of the Spirit and often will have some direction of what to share when the responsibility is on me. But not this time. I had nothing.
James went on to use Abraham as an example of faith and works. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? …You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:21-22,24).
In other words, sometimes you just have to step out on blind faith (what James called works). And this is when God shows up to help. The Bible says it’s also what makes God smile (Hebrews 11:6).
Blind faith.
Faith isn’t really blind– because we’ve learned to trust the One our faith is in. But what I mean by blind faith is that we don’t always see the path, or hear the instruction, or know the results, when we take that step of faith. But “Faith is the reality [or substance] of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen” (Hebrews 11:1 CSB).
As I took the microphone and went to the front, I still had nothing as I sat down on the altar with my eyes closed, hoping the Holy Spirit was about to tell me what to say. So I continued to worship God with everyone else, speaking out my thanks for His goodness, His mercy, and His faithful love. As I prayed aloud and worshipped, the Holy Spirit began to give me more words of thanksgiving and encouragement.
Honestly, it was a beautiful moment of surrender. It was proof to me (again) that “we walk by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). “It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going” (MSG). And can I add, it’s fun too!
I was so edified by the flow of the Spirit and the love He poured out on all of us simply because I trusted Him to help me.
It’s okay to feel inadequate.
I fully understand what Paul was communicating when he said, “I stood before you feeling inadequate, filled with reverence for God, and trembling under the sense of the importance of my words. The message I preached and how I preached it was not an attempt to sway you with persuasive arguments but to prove to you the almighty power of God’s Holy Spirit. For God intended that your faith not be established on man’s wisdom but by trusting in his almighty power” (1 Corinthians 2:3-5 TPT).
And this doesn’t just apply to speaking before an audience. This truth applies to one-on-one conversations, family gatherings, prayer meetings, evangelism, and writing blogs!
We trust the One who put His Spirit within us. He will never fail to meet us when faith is present. Faith is surrender; it’s a release of control. Faith is proof of what (and Who) we trust.
It’s okay to feel inadequate, but never let that stop you from stepping out in faith.
There will be times when you have no idea what you’re supposed to say or do– but I hope you step out and prove your faith by your works! I am very confident God will step in and show you His faithfulness every time.
