“Only when faith replaces doubt in the life of a believer can the joy of knowing God become a reality.” James McDonald
Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (KJV)
The healing attitude of faith can make all the difference in how we experience life. Faith is the key to life, to healing, and to fulfillment. However, even understanding the term faith can be difficult in today’s culture. For example, in the 1960s, popular psychologists like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow popularized the humanistic movement. This philosophy promoted trusting or having faith in yourself. To the humanist, faith meant allowing yourself to trust your feelings as your guide to fulfillment. Psychologists who encountered depressed patients would say, “Tell me how you feel?” By directing the patient to discover their true feelings, the hope was that this would lead to healing and a more functional life direction. Years later we recognize the philosophy of, if it feels good do it, as a destructive and selfish way of life. The humanistic experiment of Maslow and Rogers ultimately failed.
Don’t get me wrong, feelings are important. And in the counseling process, we deeply care about how someone feels. However, a true attitude of faith is putting your trust in God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, not in how you feel. True faith is a firm persuasion and expectation, that God will perform all that he has promised to us in Jesus Christ. In a true emotional healing process from depression, anxiety, substance abuse or any issue – discovering your faith in God and His promises istransforming. God shares many promises with us. Here are a few:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” (Mark 11:23 – 24)
At Christian Counseling Associates (CCA), we recognize that the process of cultivating faith is part of the healing process. Christians struggle with anxiety, depression, pain, marital problems, traumatic life events, and other crises in their lives. If a person struggles with emotional problems this does not mean that they necessarily lack faith. However, emotional problems can distract us from continuing a growing faith journey with God. Crises and problems can cultivate doubt, and encourage us away from faith, promises, and joy we can experience in the Lord.
Whatever struggle we face in life, the attitude of faith is foundational to overcoming. God’s promises are clear. He promises a good result. No matter how we feel, we must act upon the promises of God.This week take action to start cultivating your faith in God. Here are three steps to take toward building your faith attitude:
1. Reflect on the last time you specifically trusted God about something. Create a journal of these events. Go and tell others of what you discovered.
- If you want your faith to grow, confess your faith.
2. Rate yourself in three key areas of growing your faith:
- Time spent in God’s Word (reading the Bible)
- Telling others about Jesus Christ (witnessing)
- Walking daily in faith (living obediently, serving God, and serving others.
3. Reflect on the three key areas of growing your faith in # 2
- What is the next right step, or commitment that you need to make in cultivating a faith attitude?
Remember, in this faith cultivating journey, you are not alone. God promises to help. In addition, the church is a place that God uses to cultivate faith. Finally, our counselors at CCA are here for you. If you are struggling with emotions or overwhelming life problems, reach out for help. God is faithful, through Him we will overcome!
