True Faith

"The vision of a champion is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion, when nobody else is looking." - Mia Hamm. 

Mia Hamm is considered one of the world's best soccer players. How did she achieve this status? By working harder than anybody else while no one was looking. Her quote above describes a work ethic that is unseen. Her determination for success is not based on the fans, money, comparison or glory. Her convictions are unseen to most people because she doesn't train for them; she trains for herself. Her quote paints a picture of an athlete who knows who they are and what they want to achieve and isn't swayed by the changing world around them. 

I desire this mindset for my goals here on earth and my faith in Christ. So many aspects of our faith require just that: faith. We don't get to see God walking the sidewalk beside us, but our faith requires us to believe that He is with us, who He says He is, and that He is working and loving us each day. We must believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, not any everyday occurrence; it takes faith!  

To have a conviction is to have assurance or proof, not simply to hope that maybe God is real or to think that perhaps Jesus did rise from the dead, but to know. This knowledge has to be deep within yourself as a gift of the Holy Spirit. It grows as you spend more time with God in His Word and prayer. 

You're not a true competitor if you only work hard when people are watching. An actual competitor fights and competes within to be better than they were yesterday. True faith is inside ourselves not merely the beliefs of family or friends. It is truth buried deep in our heart that the things of Scripture are to be trusted.  A true believer knows in their heart that their relationship with God is real, and the faith they have allows them the personal relationship to see that truth.  

Do you desire to have a growing faith? Maybe you have always had a surface-level belief in the things of Scripture. You can have assurance by surrendering your life to the Lord, studying His Word and looking for His work in your life.