Lack of true faith creates lack in all areas of life. Once this is realized, we can allow for contentment and abundance.
Do you struggle with faith: Do you struggle with thoughts or feelings of lack? In my own search, like many people do from time to time, I have been struggling with the idea (or misconception) of my life not
turning out the way I wanted; with things like dissatisfaction, envy. These are bad and I
know it. I asked for help with it. I see that these are the result of choices I
made in a lack of faith, even though I boasted for decades that I lived on
faith, that I had faith. At times I
did, but in many ways I didn’t, especially through my impatience and in not
just letting things (guidance) unfold. So now that I have a better
understanding of faith, and I am implementing that new understanding of faith
as actual faith, I am seeing and
looking though at where I sit and it has been eye-opening.
In these thoughts, I also came up with (or was given) the
question of: if I had nothing to compare it to, would I then think I had/have a
good life? I think yes. It is seeing and constantly comparing to the outside
world (to others) that at least in part, I begin to feel lack. Also there is a
big dream or two that have never happened, but in constantly seeing the lack,
feeling lack, I am overlooking what I do
have, with all that I have been blessed. And that is the point of growth isn’t
it, to begin to see the truth, to see our faults, to see where we have fallen
short.
Social media is such a big negative factor in all this; in
constantly seeing what others have or are doing, feeling the need to achieve,
to compete. And maybe there are some who feel that way when they see my posts.
Big boat, little boat as my husband always says, and I am looking at the big
boats way too much. If I only look at my boat what do I see; what do I have? This
verse is especially powerful in this respect: 1 Corinthians 4:7, “For who sees anything different in you? What do you have
that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you
did not receive it?” And of course, Exodus 20:17, tells us in the Ten
Commandments, that we should not covet anything of our neighbor’s and in this
day and age of constant communication with others, media, celebrities and their
lifestyles, all crammed in our faces through technology, it is so difficult to
avoid and may be the biggest common daily challenge that we each face in
remaining true to the commandments.
In 2 Corinthians 10:12, the Apostle Paul writes, “For we
dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that
commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing
themselves among themselves, are not wise.” He goes on to say in Galatians
1:10, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to
please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of
Christ.” He tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, to see whether
you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” This is where I am at, examining and
testing my own level of faith. It is not easy but is something we must do in
order to make sure we are drawing on the real gift of faith. Sometimes in doing
so, we will find our failures which we can then correct and overcome by using the faith gifted us.
It is Thanksgiving weekend I am not being as grateful right now as I should be (the irony of that); I haven’t lived what I claimed to be my
truth and because I did not, it has cost me many things
and this loss was due to a lack of true
faith. It is because of these things that my lack of faith cost me that I am
now seeing them as lack but with an understanding of my own fault in the matter. I can see this because I am now starting to live in true faith; the faith gifted me rather than something I tied to conjure up or super-impose upon myself from varying tidbits and philosophies I encountered along my journey.
The Bible says that every man (person) is gifted with faith.
Romans 12:3 says “. . . God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Ephesians 2:8 also says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not
of yourselves: it is the gift of
God,” yet claiming faith and actually using the gift of the faith are two
different things. It is one more thing that I am learning to allow. I must allow myself to open up to the true
faith I am gifted so that it can override all else. I think it must be human
nature to doubt and fear, yet this gift of faith within is stronger than any of
it if I allow myself to draw on it. Then
once I am really using the true gift of *faith, I am beginning to let go of
feelings of lack and to be appreciative of all that I have been gifted.
*For more on faith, Hebrews 11 offers a brief but near-full
recap of biblical persons all acting through the gift of faith and it is so
encouraging to read.
Cheryl Yale-Bruedigam has been writing spiritually for thirty years. With undergraduate studies in English and women's studies, she devoted over a decade of research and writing to women’s studies and spirituality.
Bruedigam is also certified yoga instructor. She lives in New Mexico with her husband.
Order her books or find at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and ITunes
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