THE PERKS OF LIVING BY FAITH (part 2)

                                        

I believe that faith brought these two together. And they are perfect for each other. The people God brings into your life is one of the perks of living by faith. 

                                    

As I sit down to write this, the topic feels overwhelming because there is so much to say. My faith has grown in the past few years because my life has changed since Covid. After being fired from my job at the library in Lykens for refusing to wear a mask, my husband suggested that I retire. 

The whole Covid thing led me to seek God more than ever before, partially because I was seeking truth, and truth will always lead you to God. I also had more time to spend reading the Bible and in prayer. Getting close to God takes time, and I think that is why many people put Him on a shelf and don't develop the relationship with Jesus that would transform their lives.

Living by faith is a way of life that creates your best possible life. My last post explained the major reasons why we should live by faith. In this post I will focus on the rewards of living by faith. 

Faith gives you peace. And everyone wants peace. The world is a chaotic place filled with people who will stress you out. If I didn't have my faith, I would certainly look for other ways to cope with the stress of this world because the past three years have brought an incredible amount of mental, physical and emotional stress. 

I know people who fill the void in their lives with unhealthy comforts. They are false comforts that actually do more damage than good. They seem to help, but the comfort they bring is short-lived. And relying on these false comforts for a long period of time can do damage to their brains and their bodies. It can also damage their relationships. 

I have seen people do major damage to their relationships because they rely on false comforts instead of taking their problems to God and trusting Him to bring answers and much-needed relief. God recently showed me that I was relying on a false comfort a little too much. And I had to make some changes.

So one of the perks of living by faith is the fact that the closer you are to God, the more he speaks to you, the more he guides you, and the more he blesses you. God wants you to live your best life, but you can't create your best life without Him. 

God gives us a power that we simply do not have alone. Since I've grown closer to God and my faith has increased, I find that I don't have to try so hard. All I have to do now is allow the power of God to enable me to do the things he calls me to do. 

I expect to be inspired each day. That inspiration helps me to write. It helps me to find the answers I need when I have a problem. It gives me the ideas I need when I'm being creative. I walk into a room and I expect God's favor to be there. How many times has he seated me beside just the right person when I walked into a room full of strangers? 

The perks of living by faith are too many to count. Life becomes an adventure. And part of that adventure is watching yourself change. I find myself having better instincts because I'm guided by the Holy Spirit. I sense things that other people don't sense. I see serious wrongs that other people toss off as no big deal. I'm able to avoid people and places that are not good for me. In my younger days, I didn't have that Holy-Spirit-led discernment, so my bad decisions brought me one heartache after another. 

Living by faith gives you a spirit of truth that guides you into all truth. You will have an inward conviction (a gut feeling) about everything and everyone you encounter. You will walk into a room and get a bad feeling if something bad is about to happen. You will sense that a certain movie is not something you or your children should be watching. It's like walking around with spiritual radar that can detect everything and everyone that's harmful.

God's protection is upon those who seek Him. And those who delight in Him are given the desires of their hearts. The blessings of living by faith become more evident to me each day. 

I recently was offered a free vacation at a time when I desperately needed to get away. I didn't even have to drive there. I just sat in the passenger seat and ate nuts. When we got there, we couldn't get into our room because the office door was locked. It was a time share motel and our key had been locked in an outdoor vault. We did not know the lock combination. 

Within minutes of our realizing the bad situation we were in because we were cold and tired, two people called to us from the street and asked if we needed help. This couple came up the elevator and walked over to the lock box, punched in a combination of numbers and inside was an envelope with my friend's name on it and the key to our room. I asked them if they have wings because I knew they were sent there to help us. 

Life is just so much better and so much easier when you live by faith. I've been given an amazing talent and the ability to share my stories so I can encourage people. I believe that God wanted me to retire because He had other plans for me. And I know those plans involve much more than writing. I will soon step into something bigger. I know that because I have a gut feeling that my life is about to change, probably some time this year.

Getting close to God has made me less selfish. I find myself with more empathy for people. I have a greater desire to serve others and to offer my time and attention when someone needs help. I have an easier time apologizing when I need to. I've learned that a good way to determine someone's faith and closeness to God is to look at how easily they can offer a real apology. 

Living by faith allows you to read people and situations with divine accuracy. Faith brings divine appointments with people who can help you. Getting close to God makes you the best person you can be. And your goodness will attract the best people. Those people become your friends or maybe your spouse. Faith moves the mountains in your life and brings you peace. Faith brings health and blessings. 

So why would anyone want to live without faith? From what I see, the people living without faith are prideful and stubborn. They think that they can handle life without God. Or they see faith as a weakness. But everyone I know who rejects God has a very messy life. They encounter one problem after another. They have no peace. And their lives appear to be void of blessings. I have yet to see a faithless person who is truly happy. Instead they seem lost, lonely and lifeless. 

I was once a person who did not live by faith, so I am qualified to attest to the difference faith makes. One thing I know...I will never go back to that discontent way of life. A life without faith is not really living at all.