FAITH. A simple, five letter word which literally holds the weight of the world.

Even for those of us who grew up in church & have heard tens of thousands of messages on faith, this word can prove to be perplexing. So, if you’re anything like me, sometimes you need to break things down to their simplest form in order to truly understand.
During my study time I will frequently Google definitions for even the most basic words in order to more clearly grasp the meaning of the passage.

Hebrews 1:1 &  6
“Now faith is being certain of what we hope for and sure of what we do not see. Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”

Earnest = showing SINCERE & intense conviction. Synonyms: serious, solemn, genuine, & trustworthy.
When considering the true meaning of Hebrews 1:1,6 or any passage of scripture for that matter, it’s essential to be brutally honest with yourself. There’s no hiding from God, nothing you can do to mask the depths of your heart from the one who created them. He sees every thought, every action, every feeling. So, be honest in your self-evaluation, it’s the only way to grow.

In reflecting upon faith, ask yourself these questions:

• Am I earnestly seeking God?
• When I seek the Lord is it genuine? Does my desire come from the heart?
• Do I long for His embrace?
• Do I pray, study, meditate, & sit before His feet when no one is watching?
• Or is my faith only relevant when there’s an audience?
• Is my quiet time motivated by love for God or love for the likes I will receive when posting a picture of my devotional book?
• Am I putting forth my honest, best-possible effort to live in accordance with God’s will?

If your answer to the above questions is overwhelmingly NO, then how can one expect to reap Kingdom rewards? If I only trust Him when things are good, if I only praise in the moments He steps in to take away my pain, if I only acknowledge Him when I can clearly see His healing hand instead of in the moments when I don’t… my faith is meaningless.
Yet, if I choose to praise Him through the storm, if I stand firm in obedience regardless of circumstances or selfish desires, then I can truthfully declare that I am earnestly seeking God.
Allow me to reiterate the sheer importance of this truth:
Morally sound choices, generosity, helping others, selflessness, volunteerism, philanthropy, church attendance, fasting, tithing, songs of praise, recitation of prayer & scripture, efforts to be a better person are all WORTHLESS if you do not have faith.

Nothing you do is pleasing to the Father unless it is accompanied by FAITH.

So… what’s FAITH again?
1. Being sure of what you hope for—believing God is faithful, trusting His word, betting your life upon His promises.
2. Certainty of that which we do not see—knowing He is there even though He is not in tangible form, believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who died for our sins, trusting in the Eternity that awaits.
To have faith we must believe that God exists; that He rewards us when we genuinely search for His glory. Whether I see the fruits of those rewards on Earth or they do not step forward until I reach Heaven, I can rest assured they will come.
How much faith is enough?
There are NO MINIMUM requirements for faith nor are there maximum capacities. Even faith the size of a crumb can move mountains. The tiniest bit of faith is the key ingredient in transforming our empty actions into pleasing demonstrations of worship. Even the smallest of seeds has to ability to plant, take root, flourish & grow.
In Matthew 17:20, Jesus tells us that when we believe- ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

20 “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Though this sounds like a line from a Disney movie, all jokes aside, this is the real deal. We get to experience a true-life fairytale of the greatest proportions because of faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s be sure of what we hope for & certain of what we do not see.
TRUST. OBEY.
SEEK. FIND.
DRAW NEAR. PRAY.
LISTEN. BE STILL. READ.
PRAISE. WORSHIP.
CONFESS. REPENT. TURN.
REJOICE. BELIEVE.
HAVE FAITH.

This post originally appeared on AnythingChristian where I am a weekly blog contributor. Click on the link to read material from other bloggers, like me, who are getting a wonderful opportunity to share God’s voice with the world.