Faith Is More Valuable Than Answers

This blog has been very heavy on my heart because what I am going to write about I am still walking through. I am not the only one walking this path, so this post is for all the college students, graduating seniors, and anyone else around those ages.

College is a journey into the unexpected. Even if you think you know what you are doing and what is expected, you will face things you didn't plan on facing. One reason I am writing this blog, is to explain to you that your heart and your soul are in a war that being waged every day. The enemy, Satan, wants to steal from you and keep you far from God, who loves you. God wants to give you life, freedom, security, and hold you close. This is something we all need to be aware of. Over the past 9 years, I have been in relationship with the God of the universe. That sounds quite peculiar for sure, but that is just it, it is very peculiar to us as humans to have a relationship with God. The thing is, if we could make sense of it all, we would not see our need for God. The truth is, we do need God. Without him, we are not truly living.

John 10:10 reads:

"The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy;

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

I grew up knowing a lot about God, and I also grew up growing in relationship with God. Once college hit though everything had changed so much that I began to really dig deep into who God is and who I am. I do think that college is sort of like a life flop for most people. Your environments, schedules, knowledge, people and life basically take quick turns in many directions. This change forces you to take a deep look into what you really believe, and who you really are as an individual. Things like this tend to expose the people who are on the fence about going all in for Jesus or not. The Bible does not say that people who "sort of" claim to be a Christian truly belong to him and will spend eternity with Him. You are either all in for God or you are not anywhere near him. God doesn't half love me; He doesn't three-quarters love me; He loves me one-hundred percent! I don't think our love and dedication to God should be any different, and God shows us in his word that is shouldn't. Yes, we are human and we are not perfect like God, but He invites us to be complete in Him. You see, college is going to test you and push you to really exam who you are and who you say God is. Nobody really cares who you are in college. The name you thought you made for yourself in high school or the things people knew you for are all gone. Professors, other students, random people around you are not going to see you as who you used to be or even care in many cases. You can either use this as an opportunity to find your identity in Christ and live for his glory, or you can make a new, empty name for yourself that will eventually fade out again. The sudden changes of college will be different in some ways for everyone, but anyone will tell you it is hard. When I started in college two years ago, I was beginning to see a lot of darkness and lies all around me. A public college is twisted, filled with evil, and is a total playground for the devil to do his work. Many times when I pull up on the campus I can feel the heavy darkness of the student body. People are desperately in need of Jesus and light. Don't get me wrong, there are brights spots in college and God works and moves powerfully through those who seek Him. As I was beginning to see and realize all of this, I began to focus too much on the unanswered questions I had. Questions are not always bad, in fact they can grow our faith. The problem is when we are fixated on our questions being answered over trusting God by faith. When I choose to rely on questions being answered, I am not relying on God, I am doubting God and who He is.

When I entered into college I found myself carrying around a lot more questions about God than I ever had before.

Something I have realized through my changing college experience is that:

FAITH IS MORE VALUABLE THAN THE ANSWERS I CAN GET.

I think that there will always be unanswered questions, and that is why God calls us to a life of faith. Relying on having your questions answered (even if you are asking God to answer them) is a trap where the enemy will drag you down leave you disabled in doubt. Plus, even if you get that question answered, you won't be satisfied; you'll have another question. I had to recognize that even though I had lots of questions, doubts, and my environments didn't seem the same, that I could not rely on those things at all. I needed to fall into who God is and rely on him.

I think sometimes we forget the definition of faith.

FAITH:

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not see." Hebrews 11:1

So this is no easy, breezy, peasy matter we have at hand. Faith in God is intense, and it is a choice.

If you do not own your faith and know who you are in Christ, you are in dangerous territory.

When your faith is tested, don't look for answers to all your "whys" because that's not what faith is. If you look for answers, you will not find faith. Ephesians 6:16 explains: "In addition to all this, (take) up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." The Devil wants us faithless because then he can get us filled with fear and full of junk.

Each day you have to choose faith. Get in God's word, walk in obedience, pray continually.

THIS is not a self-help blog for you to read and encourage you to "make a better you." I want to challenge you to know that we are living in a world that will encourage you to lean toward compromises and lean away from God. The WORD OF GOD is breathed by God himself, it is living and active and true. We are not supposed to just get cool quotes from it that make us feel better; we are to fall in love with our Father through it. We are to value it. We are to see it as more than just a book. Don't find yourself on the fence between being a Christ follower or living in sin. Your major, your friends, the school you go to...all of those things don't matter if you aren't doing them for Christ. I will tell you right now that following God requires full surrender. And full surrender my friends, is what brings true joy, and freedom that you will not experience without God. You just can't and you won't without Him. College is a time for growth, knowing where you stand, and so much more; but let the most important thing to you be your relationship with the God of the Universe and where you stand with Him.