While at the beach yesterday I was watching the birds. Sometimes it takes a lot of energy and effort for them to get off the ground and make their way somewhere. Other times they are just floating in the air. The wind currents take them up or down, forward or backwards.
I once had the opportunity to fly in a glider plane. A powered airplane towed us upward and then I released the tow rope and we glided. Some air currents even took us higher. I was completely dependent on the air currents and skill of the pilot.
Faith can be a lot like both the birds and aircraft in flight. Sometimes we exercise faith by being completely dependent on God, our pilot. He works the controls and manages the currents to take us where He wants us to go. Other times, faith is obedience to do what He wants us to do. We are still dependent on Him to accomplish His will, but the task requires us to work at it, like the birds in flight.
James 2:17-18 puts it well; “So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith and I have works.’ Show me your faith apart from works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Good works demonstrate that we are led by faith and are growing in the knowledge of God.
Reluctant Retiree 