What is Faith?

Today's post is a bit different. Today and for the next several days I'm going to be posting the personal reflection exercises I am writing for an overnight our church youth will be doing in a couple weeks. There are still verses to read, but if you like this may be a chance to get a little more involved. Take the time to pull out a journal, a notebook, a scrap of paper, or pull up your blog, or a facebook note and spend 20 minutes writing your own thoughts down. You can share them if you want, but this reflection time is for you. If you find you have things you want to discuss, you know where to find me. :)

What is Faith?

The dictionary has many definitions of the word, "faith".

Faith
–noun

1. confidence or trust in a person or thing: faith in another's ability.
2. belief that is not based on proof: He had faith that the hypothesis would be substantiated by fact.
3. belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion: the firm faith of the Pilgrims.
4. belief in anything, as a code of ethics, standards of merit, etc.: to be of the same faith with someone concerning honesty.
5. a system of religious belief: the Christian faith; the Jewish faith.
6. the obligation of loyalty or fidelity to a person, promise, engagement, etc.: Failure to appear would be breaking faith.
7. the observance of this obligation; fidelity to one's promise, oath, allegiance, etc.: He was the only one who proved his faith during our recent troubles.
8. Christian Theology. the trust in God and in His promises as made through Christ and the Scriptures by which humans are justified or saved.

The root of the word "faith" is the latin fidere, which means "to trust". What does the word "faith" mean to you? What is your faith? What do you believe in?

Read the following verse from Hebrews 1:11 and then take 20 minutes to reflect upon your own faith. Write your thoughts in your journal.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Previous Reflection: http://kairosverse.blogspot.com/2010/01/who-am-i.html
Next Reflection: http://kairosverse.blogspot.com/2010/01/how-do-i-live-my-faith.html

http://kairosverse.blogspot.com

Don't Stop Believing

Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation. God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

Hebrews 6: 9-12 (NIV)

This passage was inspired by Small Group 9's song at Kairos. This was their proclamation passage. This speaks to me about how even though Grace is a gift and there's nothing we HAVE to do - God knows that we have done good, and that we have tried - and that it DOES make a difference.

http://kairosverse.blogspot.com