Understand, Faith

Everything happens so fast these days. People talk fast and people seem to listen to only half of the message, simply looking for the “go” points. In this, we fail to see the false assumptions that are made in regards to words and their meanings.

There's a popular meme, it says - Faith is trusting God when you don't understand His plan. The associated imagery is always an ominous looking maze. Why? I think it's more scary to walk knowingly, eyes wide on the path that leads to hell. Jesus says "My burden is light. MT 11:30" and although walking the path of righteousness is sure to come with surprises and struggle, its WAY less ominous than the alternative.
Allow me to draw your attention to two words; Understanding and faith.
How would you define “understanding”? Also, in an explanatory way, (not simply restating Hebrews 11:1-2), how would you define “faith? I ask this because sometimes we use them, maybe not interchangeably, but at least in ways that aren’t as illuminating as it could be. Sometimes it’s the difference that makes the difference.

Online dictionary defines understanding as 'to grasp or perceive the intended meaning of (a message)'. So understanding is really only ‘proved’ by what your response to the message, but it’s NOT the message, and it’s not the response. It’s that intangible piece of “grasping” in the middle.

Here’s The Word:

Psalm 119:104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Psalm 119:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word.

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.

These verses show HOW we develop the ability to ‘grasp’. It’s noteworthy that Solomon and Job are not from the same time, but the clear line of God’s wisdom runs consistently through them as it does through the whole of Scripture.

Defining faith may be a little tougher: Probably because we believe that we already have a good grasp of it. Belief and trust are the most common words used to define faith, but like understanding, faith is proved by response. So then it’s really not an inability to define (or even grasp) faith, but the applicability of it.

Here’s The Word:

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

1 Corinthians 2:5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

My point here is that our ability to grasp NEEDS to come from our trust in God. Other candidates will offer some really good alternatives – the wisdom of men, and our own understanding (Prov 6) being two of the main ones. We need to be keenly aware that these 2 have had a remarkable head start. When we came to Christ, of course we were excited and expectant that He would show us new and marvelous things, but even though we get delivered from many “woes”, we rarely take scrutinizing, psychological inventory of our understanding and our worldly developed ability of how we make sense of things.

This inevitably introduces a third term: Wisdom. Wisdom is that thing that ties faith and God-given understanding together. Wisdom without faith produces presumptive arrogance. Faith without wisdom tosses us about with every wind of (false) doctrine. Understanding and faith also have the wonderful ability to reveal the truth of the matter: who we are as redeemed enemies and Who God is as The Sovereign Lover of our souls – that we would never seek to impress men with our faith OR understanding. Only lead them to The Source as proved by our response to His message.

1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

In Him,
Cros