Anyone who takes a basic intro to psychology class in university is likely to be exposed to the concept that a change in one's way of thinking is often preceded by speaking certain ideas over and over until one comes to believe them. I can attest to the truth of this. When I took my intro to psych class during my freshman year, I was struggling with severe depression and low self-esteem, but my psych professor talked about how big changes begin with small steps. He explained how, in theory, a person could develop a healthy and confident self-esteem by looking in the mirror first thing every morning, smiling, and saying something positive about him/herself. Something about this concept seemed so incredibly simple and relatively painless that I decided to take it upon myself to test the theory. For me, it worked wonders. I began smiling more often, I started seeing the world in a more positive light, and before long, I was making worthwhile friends. Isn't it crazy how much change a person can speak into their own life?
Proverbs 18:21 says that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (ESV). I'm sure everyone can remember a time when something someone said had a significant impact on their life--especially if that particular thing was said repeatedly.
I'm not gifted when it comes to the spoken word. I often say the wrong thing, or manage to say the right thing in the wrong way. If you need lessons on how to apologize, I'm your person! It is this quality in myself that has made me skeptical of the words that other people say. It is so easy to say one thing but behave differently. This is why I tend to watch a person's actions for a while before I choose whether or not to give their word any credibility.
Abraham probably did something similar when it came to his relationship with God. I'm sure Abraham tested God's actions to see if they would back up His promises--and this process is probably how Abraham's faith grew to be so strong. Decades later, David acknowledged what his forefather came to know: God says, "I will not break my covenant; I will not take back a single word I said" (Ps. 89:34 NLT). Abraham and David found God's actions to be faithful to His word. In fact, the testimony of hundreds in the Bible lend further credibility to God's promises. One need not just take Abraham's word for it.
Interestingly, God invites people to test Him. In a letter to early Christians, Paul advises that people "test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good" (1 Thess. 5:21 NLT). Paul warns that a failure to test God's word could cause the Holy Spirit to be stifled.
So here's the crux of the issue: ultimately, words without action are dead. Someone who doesn't follow through with what they say is untrustworthy--and over time, no one will take that person seriously. In fact, that person's word may be permanently in jeopardy; it is likely that their word will never be trusted.
For those who have experienced God's faithfulness, trust shouldn't come with such difficulty. As decedents of Abraham, we come from a long lineage of people who learned to trust God and act on their faith. So why do I struggle with behaving in a manner that shows I truly have faith in what I profess to believe? Shouldn't this quality have been passed down through the generations?
There are many reasons why I hesitate when it comes to faith, and maybe some of those reasons are more valid than others--but I'm beginning to suspect that what I learned in my intro to psych class can be applied to faith. Maybe in my case, the actions of faith must precede the state of mind. In other words, wouldn't it makes sense that by taking the small steps, I will ultimately achieve the larger goal?
What if I laid hands on people and prayed in the action of faith, what if I spoke aloud of a confidence in faith, what if I practiced living my life as if I already had more faith than I knew what to do with? Wouldn't it follow that at some point I'd have myself convinced that I am a person of faith?
I realize that the fundamental reason why I struggle with faith is fear...the fear that my faith will fail me, that my prayers won't make any difference for anyone, or that my faith won't align with God's will. But I also realize that it is this fear that stands in the way of allowing me to be blessed and to bless others. Franklin D. Roosevelt once said "the only thing to fear is fear itself" (First Inaugural Address 1933). Why am I not surprised to find myself standing in my own way yet again?
So now I'm challenging myself to behave in a way that will leave God no choice but to reward my faith. I aspire to learn the obedience and trust of Abraham so that I will be able to partake of and pass on God's promises to Abraham's decedents. And if all else fails, I will cling, like Paul, to the understanding that, through grace, God's power is best revealed in my weakness (2 Cor. 12:9).
There is power in words--check it out: Jesus spoke the world into existence, raised the dead to life with words, calmed violent storms with words, and spoke forgiveness and wholeness into peoples' lives. Before His ascension, Jesus made this remarkable promise to His followers: “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it" (John 12-14 NLT). Jesus said it, in theory, I believe it, so isn't it about time I start acting like it? My words, by the grace of Jesus Christ, hold the power of life in them. Maybe it's time I start speaking blessings into my life and the lives of others.
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