I’m watching a show which is currently on YouTube but can also be watched on an app. It’s called The Chosen. It’s a series about the life of Jesus Christ. I would recommend it to anyone really. If you are a person who is curious about Jesus or a Christian who loves him or a person who loves well done series then this show is for you.
This show has made me think of things a little bit differently than I have before. I have read and studied the New Testament for a long time. I am familiar with the stories being told in this series. If you go in to the New Testament and look at Mark 1-3 the stories of these healings come one after the other and I never stopped and thought about them one by one. This series has slowed down my reading so to speak.
There has been something that stood out to me while watching. It is the faith of the people. Let me explain.
In the scriptures Jesus tells the people that he heals that it is their faith that has healed them. So we learn that to be healed in any way we need to have faith. (We hopefully understand that even with enormous faith sometimes we aren;t healed in the way that we would prefer but we are healed in the way that will benefit us most according to God.) I have also often be told that faith means action. We have to be actively engaged in whatever is required. And I know that in my head but I have been reminded through this series of what that looks like.
What is Faith?
It does not look like saying a prayer and then moving on with your day as if nothing happened. It does not look like sitting back and waiting for something to happen to you. Every single person who was healed by Jesus heard about him and actively sought him out. Sometimes it took great effort to be able to get near him. And I was thinking about that great effort and how it applies to me. What great effort have I been giving in order to be healed/cleansed/forgiven?
Which then made me think of the talk by President Russell M. Nelson at this past April’s General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints which was called Christ is Risen; Faith in Him Will Move Mountains. In it he says:
Faith in Jesus Christ is the foundation of all belief and the conduit of divine power. According to the Apostle Paul, “Without faith it is impossible to please [God]: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”3
Everything good in life—every potential blessing of eternal significance—begins with faith. Allowing God to prevail in our lives begins with faith that He is willing to guide us. True repentance begins with faith that Jesus Christ has the power to cleanse, heal, and strengthen us.
After that he saya this, “The Lord does not require perfect faith for us to have access to His perfect power. But He does ask us to believe.” Then he goes on to give us 5 things we can be doing to increase our faith every day while reminding us that all good things require effort on our part.
I’ll just give you the list of five things but you might want to go back and read what President Nelson says about each one of the things.
- Study
- Choose to believe
- Act in faith
- Worthily partake of sacred ordinances
- Ask Heavenly Father for help – pray
Study With Us
Now I know I may have mentioned Emily Belle Freeman on this blog once or twice before but I can’t help myself. I love her. Someday I will meet her in person and tell her that and she will smile at me in her way and I will feel happy. But I’m getting off track. LOL
I am in the midst of a study with Emily and her friend Rio who owns a small business called Work and Wonder. Together they have a study group called Inklings Institute that they run for free on Instagram and on their app which is a more compact way to study along. Anyway, the study begins with this talk by President Nelson and we are working together over the next 6 months to follow the steps he laid out and increase our faith. So far it has been a lovely experience but I know I haven’t been putting in the effort that I could be to put those steps into action and so I am telling you right here right now that I am beginning this week to be less of a passive participant. I will add more action to the things I am learning and put them into practice. I wonder if you want to join me?
Anyway, I need to get to work. I just wanted to get these thoughts here on the blog before they fly away like a baby bird leaving the nest. Please leave a comment and let me know if you are going to join in the study with me or if you have a story of the power fo faith in your life.
Always Choose Charity 