What Good is Your Faith?

Over the last several weeks I've been going through a Beth Moore study on the book of James with some ladies from church. For the longest time, I've said that James is my favorite book in the Bible, but really I was basing that on one specific passage, not the whole book. As many times as I've read James and underlined and highlighted, this is the first time it's really deeply resonated within my spirit. James is becoming my favorite book because of all of its content, not just some of it. I wish I could spend pages and pages talking about all the ways that this book has convicted me and brought me to a place of knowing that God is moving and He's taking me with Him whether I want to go or not. Better to follow Him willingly then go kicking and screaming, right?

Here's the overarching theme from this book for me: What good is your faith? James' whole point here is that we can all talk the talk, but if you're not living it out, then what good is it? I can talk until I'm blue in the face about how much I love the Lord, but if I'm not being obedient to His Word, then what good is it? James was not a man to beat around the bush. He is direct and to the point and it is often that kind of a word that I need spoken into my life to get a point through my thick skull.

Now, on the one hand, I kind of feel like I've gotten this whole "good works" thing down. With a gift for service, it's kind of hard not to. But being a Martha isn't what James is getting at here. Anyone can be busy in ministry. The thing that God has been pounding in my head isn't about ministry or doing things for the church. It's about giving of myself to people in need; people who cannot fight for themselves; people without a voice of their own. To love the lost, the broken, the unwanted, the rejected. To go beyond giving a couple dollars to a charity here or signing up for this newsletter or that one to keep informed on what's going on in the world of _________, but actually get in and get my hands dirty and fight for something. I still don't know exactly what that looks like yet and I don't even know for sure what I'm fighting for. But I know that I can be a voice for the voiceless and with the strength of the Lord, I can be His hands and feet.

God, I don't know where you're leading me and I don't know how we're going to get there, but I'm trusting you to take my hand and to show me the way. I know that it won't be easy, so I'm asking you to help me keep my eyes fixed firmly on Jesus and to trust that there is joy in the sorrow and blessing in being obedient to You. Lord, I cast all of my fears and anxieties on You and rest in the promise the peace that passes understanding is mine in Christ Jesus.