How to Walk by Faith

Take the First Steps

Have faith in the promises you cannot see. Most of the promises God makes to those who follow Him are not tangible, so you won't be able to see proof of those promises with your own eyes. You must believe that God will keep those promises as an act of faith rather than one of sight. As stated in John 3:17-18, "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved, by the condemning of his son. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Simply put, accepting Christ as your Savior and as the Son of God will lead you to salvation. As stated in Matthew 16:27, "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." If you live by the will of God—in other words, walking in faith and by faith—you will receive the salvation promised to the believers and followers of Christ.

Consider the limitations of walking by sight. Walking by sight limits your experience to things that can only be experienced by sight. Once you realize how limiting this is, the benefit of walking by faith can become much clearer. Imagine what life would be like if you never planned to travel anywhere beyond the destinations you can see from your bedroom window. You wouldn't get very far, and you would be missing out on everything the world had to offer. Likewise, if you never plan to travel anywhere beyond the tangible realm, you won't get very far and you'll miss out on everything that the spiritual realm has to offer.

Let go of your fear. The world can be a frightening place, and sometimes, you may do things out of fear that contradict God's will. If you want to walk by faith, you need to release your fear to God and accept the path He leads you down. This is easier said than done, of course. You may not be able to become completely fearless, but you can be courageous and learn to act according to God's will even when you are afraid of what lies ahead.

Delve Deeper

Focus on things that have eternal significance. It's easy to fixate on aspects of your earthly life—finances, possessions, and so one. These things disappear along with the mortal body, though, and have no lasting spiritual value. A big house or a fancy car are things the world might value, but they won't matter in God's kingdom. Earthly success is not inherently evil. You can live a comfortable life in a nice home with a good job and still walk by faith. The problem isn't in having these things; the problem is prioritizing these symbols of earthly success over matters of the Spirit. Instead of focusing on the life before you, focus on unseen realities, like Jesus and Heaven. Center your life around these realities instead of the visible, temporary realities of your earthly life. Store up treasures in Heaven by doing the will of God, as instructed in Matthew 6:19-20, rather than fussing over the treasures of earth.

Obey the Bible and God's commands. Living your life according to your faith in God will require you to follow God's law above and before the ways of mankind. God's law can be learned and understood through the study of His Word. Understand that there are times when the world will try to convince you that something forbidden by God's law is acceptable. Human inclination is follow the ways of the world, but to walk by faith, you need to follow the ways of God. You cannot control the actions of those around you, but as far as your own life is concerned, you must live according to what God has deemed is right and just.

Prepare to look foolish. For those who walk by sight, the actions and beliefs of a person who walks by faith can seem foolish. You'll need to learn to walk on in spite of any criticism you receive from those around you. God's ways are not humanity's ways. Your natural inclination will be to follow your own understanding and the current philosophy of human society, but doing so will not guide you down the path God wants you to follow. Proverbs 3:5-6 explains, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

Expect to face trials along the way. Every road has rough patches, and the one you're setting out on now is no exception. The trials you'll face are there to give your journey strength and meaning, though. The trials you face might be self-inflicted or may not be your fault at all. You might stumble and give into the temptation to do what you know to be wrong, and dealing with the consequences of your actions can make things difficult for a while. Even so, God will not abandon you. He can even use the evils of your hardship for your good if you let Him. On the other hand, a natural disaster or some other unforeseen, uncontrollable force might rip through your life. God can and will use that tragedy for the greater good, though, as long as you are open to it.

Stop waiting for an epiphany. There might be times when you feel the presence of God very vividly, but there will also be times when you feel a sense of distance between you and God. You need to keep walking by faith through these dark times without waiting for some epiphany or miracle to illuminate your path. Realize that God is always with you, even when you do not feel His presence or understand how He is working in your life through a particular tragedy or disaster. The feeling of being deserted is a matter of human perception and not a matter of truth. God speaks to the spirit, but while you are still in bodily form, there will be times when the perceptions of the body drown out those of the spirit. When you are desperate to feel the presence of God but are unable to do so, rely on the promises of Scripture and your past faith experiences to give you strength. Continue to pray and to do the things you know God would have you do.

Glorify God in all that you do. You do not need to be a famous evangelist to walk by faith and give glory to God. Simply do the best you can with the tasks and circumstances God has given you. First Corinthians 10:31 explains, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." If something as basic as eating and drinking can be done to the glory of God, more complex aspects of life can be done to the glory of God, as well. If you're currently a student, study seriously and be the best student you can be. If you're working at an office, be a responsible, ethical, and hard working employee. Be the best son, daughter, mother, father, sister, or brother you can be to your family members, as well.

Nurture Your Spirit

Pray through all stages of life. Prayer offers you a direct channel of communication to God. To stay committed to a walk of faith, you need to keep talking to God through both the good times and the bad. If you find yourself forgetting to pray, try scheduling a specific time each day for it—when you wake up in the morning, during your lunch hour, before bed, or any other time when you can get a few minutes of silence and solitude. You might find yourself forgetting to give praise and thanks during good times even though you have no trouble turning to God for help during times of need. The reverse may also be true. If you have a weak point in your prayer life, focus on strengthening it.

Listen for direction. For the most part, you'll need to walk through life and make decisions based on what you already understand about who God is and what God wants for you. Keep your mind open, however, so that you will be able to interpret messages and signs from God when they do come along. You might be given direction without even knowing it. When you lose your job, it could be God's way of directing you down a better path. When a relationship ends, it could be God's way of directing you to a healthier relationship or to a goal that could not have been completed if you remained with that individual.

Follow God's schedule. God will answer your prayers, but the answer may not come in the time frame you would expect it to. Similarly, God will open the right path for you, but that path will only be revealed when God decides that it is the best time for it. This can be especially difficult when the demands of daily life press down on you. It can be hard, for example, to trust in God's schedule when you can't find a job and have bills to pay. No matter how tough things get, though, try to remind yourself that God is with you through it all and will lead you to where you need to be when you need to be there according to His plan.

Give thanks. Be thankful for the blessings God has given you. Taking time to notice all the good things in your past and present can strengthen your faith and make it easier to keep walking when the path seems dim. Giving thanks for the things that are obviously good may seem simple enough, but you also need to give thanks for the trials and roadblocks you face along the way. God wants only the best for you, so even the hardships you face are ultimately there for your benefit.

Care for the things God gives you. Treat all of the good things in your life as the blessings they are. Keep in mind that this includes both obvious blessings and those you may often take for granted. If you've been unemployed for a long time and the right job suddenly comes your way, it might be an obvious blessing. You should take care of it by working hard and doing your best. A healthy, working body is a big blessing that many people often take for granted, though. Take care of your body by eating right and doing what you can, within reason, to stay healthy.

Serve others. As a disciple of Christ, you have been instructed to serve and spread the love of Christ to others. Doing so pleases God and can be spiritually enriching to you. Donating money, food, clothing, and other material objects to the needy is one way to serve others. Serving others also means donating your time to help those around you—loved ones, strangers, and even people you don't like.

Seek the fellowship of other believers. No one can walk this journey for you, but this road is one that can be much easier to follow when in the presence of good company. Go to church and seek out friends and allies there. Try attending a Bible study or a faith-based group if you need something more than that. Other believers can help you stay accountable and on the right path. Likewise, you can do the same for them.