Is faith what you thought it was?

       I've been pondering a lot lately on what faith is. I used to think that faith was quoting scripture over and over again until you're blue in the face. Although faith requires speaking God's word, that isn't faith. To me, faith is stepping into the unknown. Faith is trusting that God has a plan and a purpose for your life, no matter what lies ahead. Faith is obedience to the call He's placed on your life. 
       I don't know about you, but sometimes I can be stubborn. I want things now and I want them my way. Unfortunately, life isn't like Burger King and we can't have it our way. Sometimes God will show you something in your future and you automatically assume that it's going to happen tomorrow. This is not always the case. In fact, it's most likely never the case. God wants to check our motives before he answers our prayers. He also answers our prayers in ways that we don't expect and in His perfect timing. 
       Faith requires complete abandonment of self. It takes a lot of courage to step into unknown territory. To me, that's what faith is. It's when we get our eyes off of Jesus, that we tend to lose our way. When Peter began to walk on the water, he had his eyes focused on Jesus. As soon as He lost focus, he began to sink. This is what happens when our "faith" becomes about us. We lose focus on what truly matters and begin to sink in fear. Fear of being rejected by God or fear of never attaining the things that God has promised us. Our faith eventually becomes our fear. 
      What is God teaching you about faith? What does faith look like in your eyes? If God is calling you to something greater than what you had planned, don't let fear hold you back! Keep your eyes on Jesus and pursue every plan that He has for your life. Don't be stubborn like me. Submit your plans to the Lord and you WILL succeed. Ask Him what He wants from you. What is He trying to show you as you wait on the promise? Be open to what God wants to do in your life. Don't be so close minded that you completely miss out on what God wants to do. Stop trying to make things happen. Trust in Him. He will never steer you wrong. He knows what He's doing. Take that leap of faith today and step into the unknown. You never know what God could do, as you obey His call on your life.