The Definition of Belief

I realized a little over a year ago, that many of us Christian folks have a difficult time taking what we believe in our heads… with our intellect… and physically applying it to our daily lives.  Especially when those things lean toward the impossible or just seem crazy in the eyes of most other people!  As I’ve stated many times before, this was an area that Piper seemed to excel at.  I came to learn early on, that she had three things going for her.


She possessed an unquestionable trust in the Word of God.  She had a humble, unwavering and endearing childlike faith in the things of God and an ever-increasing, personal, intimate “knowing” of just how much God loved her.  If God said it in His Word it was what one might term as “Gospel truth” to her… and she wasn’t afraid to act upon it… or as I’ve been known to say, to “put feet to her faith!”


Our faith was always a very hands-on, jump-into-the-middle-of-the-action type of activity!  So therefore, for us, to actively believe was and is all about taking the corresponding actions in our daily lives that accurately paint the picture of the Biblical truth we hold dear in our hearts and in our heads!


Over the last couple of weeks, I have been re-reading a book entitled “The Authority of the Believer” by John A. MacMillian (1873-1956).  Mr. MacMillian was a missionary in the 1920’s with the Christian and Missionary Alliance in both China and the Philippines and later became the assistant editor of “The Alliance Weekly.”  In a brief section called “Belief” he talks of the meaning behind Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:19 where he speaks of “…the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.” (KJV) 


In looking at the original Anglo-Saxon meaning of the word “Belief” he stated that “to believe means literally ‘to live in accordance with’ anything.  We are accustomed to consider ‘belief’ as simple mental acquiescence with some particular truth.  But its root leads us to action; what the mind accepts, the will must obey.  We do not truly believe, therefore, unless our conviction is manifested in our life.”*


When I re-read this section over the weekend while laying on the bed with the dog snuggled at my side, I couldn’t help but yell out “YES!” as I thought “See, that’s exactly what the Lord had been showing me in the midst of Piper’s and my last journey together.”  During that time, when push-came-to-shove, I sorely felt that if Piper and I didn’t step up and step away from any semblance of fear and doubt and physically DO what we believed, that things would have gone miserably bad for us!  


Instead, He filled us with positive expectations of His best for us, gave us miracle connections all along the way, beautiful homes, wonderful care givers, financial security and loads of love from unexpected sources with people who at times, just seemed to come out of the woodwork!  It still hurts me today, to look at the lives of those who failed to act on what they said they believed and simply pulled away from us.


I think that’s what separates Christianity from other religions in the world.  Christianity is all about having an ACTIVE, personal, intimate and constantly growing relationship with Jesus Christ.  I can honestly say that Piper and I never stopped pursing and loving each other.  Ours, like many others, was a continually growing relationship that we constantly worked to improve.  

I think that the same should be said about our relationship with our God!  Just as we love to do new things with our spouses, we should love to do new things with God… but many times that means that we will have to step out of our comfort zones… Very much LIKE ME RIGHT NOW, HERE IN BROKEN ARROW OKLAHOMA!


But if I am believing that the best is yet to come… then I have to ACT like it!  I have to ACT on what I believe His Word is telling me to do!  For in that way, I prove that I BELIEVE Him and His Word by the corresponding actions that I take!  That my dear friends, is what it means for me to “BELIEVE!”


Do you (actively) BELIEVE?


Have a great rest of the week!  I’m getting a little excited as we close on our house in just about a week… Yippee!   You know?  I firmly believe that His best is yet to come for you and me… and if you do as well, say with me… “I am actively taking steps that demonstrate that I believe that God’s best is yet to come for me!”




*The Authority of the Believer, John A MacMillian, Wind Spread Publishers, © 2007, pages 26&27  (originally published as a series of articles in 1932)