Without Faith It’s Impossible To Please Him

This is the third devotion in the Walking By Faith Devotional Series on the blog. In today’s devotion, we look at a key verse in Hebrews chapter 11 – the famous hall of faith chapter.

I encourage you to read the entire chapter, when you can, and notice how the heroes of faith walked by faith.

Ok, but for now, let’s look at the focus verse, which clarifies what it means to have faith.

Without Faith It’s Impossible To Please Him

Focus verse

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Devotion

Walking by faith is a lifelong pursuit, for without faith, we cannot please God.

If I’m honest, there are days when my faith wavers. Ok, I don’t doubt God’s existence, but sometimes I fear that God will withhold His goodness from me, because I’m undeserving of His blessing.

While I know this mindset is contrary to the Gospel of grace – where God’s blessings depend on His character and promises, not on my performance – I sometimes doubt.

In today’s verse, we read that God calls us to believe not only in His existence but also in His blessing. We also read that without faith, it’s impossible to please God.

So perhaps the question is: How we can keep having faith, even when our circumstances are difficult?

Or, another question: How can we believe in God’s blessings when we fail time and time again?

How can we believe God when we go through the desert? Photo credit: Ryan Cheng on Unsplash

Well, to keep walking by faith, we need to grow in the knowledge of God and His promises, which we do by reading His word, praying, and applying faith to our circumstances – all of which we can only do when we’re empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The truth is, we can’t walk by faith by our own striving. We need to carry out the spiritual disciplines, yes. But we also need God’s power at work within us so that we can know Him more, grow in truth, and continue walking by faith, no matter what our circumstances might be.

In fact, in today’s verse, we’re actually given a promise: when we seek God, we can trust He will reward us!

So, mama, next time your faith wavers, confess that to God, seek Him with all your heart and trust He will reward you.

Questions for Reflection

• What particular situations or contexts lead you to doubt God’s presence and blessing?
• How can you walk by faith in your life as a mama?
• How can you teach your children to seek God and walk by faith?

Prayer

Lord, thank You that You are real and true. Thank You that you are with me now, despite my failings and doubts. Lord, help me grow in faith and learn more about You and Your promises. I confess, Lord, that I often doubt. Please help me walk by faith, Lord. Empower me by Your Holy Spirit. Please, be with me, I pray. Amen!