Understanding faith, trust, and sanctification

Have you ever been with a group of friends (probably when you were school-aged), and went to sit in a seat that disappeared, only to crash on to the floor?  I'm not sure I've experienced that, but I have done that to a friend.  What a good way to show them they can trust me, eh?  I've always enjoyed a good prank, even those that were played on me.  But the repeated absence of something we put our trust in, especially when it comes to people, can be crippling to our growth.  Have you ever sat in a chair, expecting it to hold you, and then it breaks?  We start to doubt ourselves and our surroundings, and maybe even God, when things don't work out as expected.  Jadedness, bitterness, and seclusion can come over us- all feelings that are not of the Lord.

Now, faith is the belief in something unseen (Hebrews 11:1), while trust is the active reliance and dependence on that belief (James 2:14-26), often demonstrated through action, or a calm recognition of His presence (shalom). Faith can be understood as the conviction and assurance of what is hoped for, whereas trust is the willingness to act on that conviction, even when facing fear or uncertainty. For example, someone can have faith that a bridge is strong but only demonstrates trust when they step onto it.  The experience they have when they cross that bridge paves the road ahead: I can trust when there is not solid ground beneath my feet, therefore I can trust for the next steps with solid ground.  

This repeated walk with the Lord leads us into sanctification:  The word "sanctification" literally means to be made holy or set apart for a sacred purpose. It's about being separated from sin and the world to be used by God.  Being sanctified takes intentional surrender for God's will, intentionally seeking Him, and intentionally taking the steps He leads us to.  God does the sanctifying when our intentions are aligned with His.  Our bonding and becoming more Christ-like is a product of this process.  

Paul and John use marriage (Ephesians 5, Revelation 21:2, 10) and adoption (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:5, Ephesians 1:5) as examples to help us understand the relationship we enter with God.  Just as when we get married, we commit to the process of bonding to our spouse, that requires purity in relationship with just them, so when we enter adoption as God's children, we commit to the bonding process that makes us holy- sanctified, set apart for a covenant relationship.  Both of these relationships take exercising faith as trust and showing ourselves to be faithful and trustworthy.

God honors and protects, and commands us to honor and protect these two relationships above all other earthly relationships.  His desire is for holy and set apart relationship with us, and for us to experience unadulterated relationships here on earth (John 17:20-23).  The same process that we get to see our children go through as they grow in trust and are formed into new people, is what God sees in us as we put our trust in Him first, and to live out these intense relationships.  When we show our children what trusting the Lord looks like in our daily lives, and we extend generosity in every way God calls us to, they will see us growing, and let go of their fears to grow as well, as they better understand what living in Christ looks like.

Next we'll dive a little deeper into sanctification.  Please ponder this:  Your relationship with your spouse is part of the purifying God wants to do in you.  Your relationship with each of your children is going to not only be a reflection of your journey of sanctification, but they will also impact your sanctification journey if you submit yourself here too.

Remember, in all areas of life:

 God is omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful), and omnipresent (everywhere).  Your God is the supplier of all your needs, and He will deliver when you trust and call on Him.  Trust and call on Him for your earthly relationships and your earthly provisions today!