So How Much Ya Got?

Well…we ask this about everything, don’t we? I mean it seems like this question gets asked an awful lot. Maybe it stems from the false belief that more is better…or maybe it is from curiosity that if someone has a bunch of something, then by asking how much he or she has we might infer “surplus”, wherein this person might be inclined to share some of the excess with someone who has none (wink)? Just saying…

So then what do we have or could have where how much of it, if any ,we have really matters?

This morning a friend sent me a text with this quote:

“To the one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To the one without faith, no explanation is possible.” Thomas Aquinas

This got me thinking…how much faith is enough? Or ample? Or sufficient? Is faith measurable?

The Bible says that “small” faith is powerful:

“…I tell you the truth, 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. Matthew 17:20 (NIV)

Faith seems to come in quantity then, right? I have heard statements like these:

“Wow, you must have a lot of faith to have done that.”

Or “That takes more faith than I have…”

OK, then are there levels of faith, like beginner, intermediate or advanced. I don’t believe so. I believe faith is just like a muscle - the more you work it out the stronger it becomes, or if you neglect it totally it might become so weak that it is useless. Quantity doesn’t seem as important as just having some…and if you have some you need to use it, otherwise how do you really know you have it, right? It is also not your only muscle...but it is an important one. Faith is a muscle for your Spirituality; kind of like the heart is a muscle for your body...you can't have spirituality without faith or a body without a heart. So how does one use or exercise one's faith? Glad you asked.

Using it then means acting on faith. The book of Hebrews offers a definition of faith in Chapter 11 verse 1: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Are you certain of what you do not see? For the most part I would say, “I don’t feel certain…” But I am certain God can see it, so I accept He knows what He is doing and what is next whether or not I “feel” certain...and that gives me certain peace.

SO how much faith is enough? My answer is: “Any…”. Then I would say, “Now use it and see what happens”.

In His Grip,

Pastor Pat