Do I Believe?

What do I believe? Why do I believe it? 

When I hear or read that someone doesn’t have faith in God or others, it seems easy to criticize. Or sometimes I might try to figure out why they don’t “just believe”!

Do I have the same thoughts though down deep in my mind?

What brings these thoughts about? Is it because of disappointment, discouragement, pain or fear? Are there reminders of past circumstances that are affecting me once again? Do I believe what God says my value is? 

Ted Dekker describes our thoughts, beliefs and what we worship as truth that saves us:

“The boat is the world’s plan of salvation from the storms of this life. Thus, you have spent your entire life reinforcing the boat, and clinging to it, thinking it will save you. Truly, you worship your boat- your agreements with yourself, your particular philosophy or religious dogma, your intelligence, your possessions, your relationships with family, spouse and friends. Your faith is in them. And so you do not truly believe in Yeshua to save you in this life.” (The Forgotten Way by Ted Dekker)

    When I face a “crisis of belief” as Henry Blackabee, author of Experiencing God, calls it, I wonder, do I trust in God or do I trust in myself?” Do I really believe what is true or is it only mental consent?  

“Grasping for God with the intellect is often the flesh’s tricky way of silencing faith. In truth, you are saved from darkness, both in this life and in the life to come, by grace through faith, not by grace through the intellect.”  ( The Forgotten Way by Ted Dekker)

So, what does God say? What do I say, feel or believe ? This modern song encourages me as well as others I know:

You Say – by Lauren Daigle

Every single lie that tells me I will never measure up

Am I more than just the sum of every high and every low?

I keep fighting voices in my mind that say I’m not enough

Remind me once again just who I am, because I need to know (ooh oh)

You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

You say I am held when I am falling short

When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours

And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

I believe

The only thing that matters now is everything You think of me

In You I find my worth, in You I find my identity, (ooh oh)

You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

And You say I am held when I am falling short

When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours

And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

Oh, I believe

Taking all I have and now I’m laying it at Your feet

You have every failure God, and You’ll have every victory, (ooh oh)

You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing

You say I am strong when I think I am weak

You say I am held when I am falling short

When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours

And I believe (I), oh I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

I believe

Oh I believe (I), yes I believe (I)

What You say of me (I)

Oh I believe (oh)

Songwriters: Paul Mabury / Lauren Ashley Daigle / Jason Ingram

When we struggle with understanding life, God says “believe in Me”.

Hebrews 10:23 New Living Translation (NLT)

²³ Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.