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Transcript:
Hello everyone, welcome to Walking in Step with God. I am Steve McDonald. Today we discuss the topic “Be Authentic in Your Faith” as we kick off a new series “Living a Courageous Life”. Let’s discuss the ways that we can be our true selves as we live our lives and exist in a world that often does not honor God.
Regardless of how long you have been walking with God, you will inevitably be faced with a situation where you must choose to keep your faith under wraps or be your true self.
Perhaps, you will find yourself in a group of people, none of which walk with God and you will need to choose if you should or shouldn’t participate in an activity that you know does not honor God. Perhaps, you are going out to lunch with a group of friends and you are unsure if you should pray over your meal, even though you pray over every meal when you are alone.
Today, let’s discuss 3 ways to be authentic in our faith and our walk with God.
Before we dive in, let’s take a quick break. I will be right back.
Welcome back. Let’s dive right into our discussion of 3 ways to be authentic in our faith.
#1 Be a beacon of faith
What does it mean to be a beacon of faith? I believe it means to allow your faith to shine brightly for all to see. This could take place in so many ways. You may perform a gesture of kindness such as opening a door for a stranger and inspire an onlooker to do the same.
You may feed someone homeless and an onlooker decides that he or she will do the same at their next opportunity.
Being a beacon of faith is not just for strangers but also for loved ones. For example, when we show kindness, respect, and honor to others in front of our children we teach them how to treat others with kindness, respect, and honor.
#2 Trust God
In our walk with God, when we encounter challenges in the world, we can become tempted to take matters into our own hands or ‘keep God out’ of situations we feel are important to us. We can be tempted to think that only we know what to do to resolve a situation. We lose sight of the fact that there is nothing impossible for God.
There are times when we can very clearly sense God’s presence and other times when it may seem as though He is very far. Part of being authentic in our faith in these times is to confess to God when we feel afraid, unsure, and alone. We can be sincere and authentic with God when we really don’t have the strength to get through a situation or the patience to wait for God.
In these times, let us confess our weakness to God . Let us ask Him for strength. Let us ask Him for courage. Being authentic with God in challenging times can help us to cope and to endure a difficult situation.
#3 Hold fast to your values
There will be times in your faith that you will need to choose between ‘going with the flow’ and doing something that does not honor God -or- holding on to your values, even if it results in rejection and ridicule from others. Being authentic in these times is to honor God first and foremost and not be concerned with what others will think.
As a quick example, let us say you are going out to Monday lunch with several co-workers. There is an attractive waiter that serves your table. Your friends begin to playfully share what a romantic evening with the waiter would entail if they had one night alone with them. One by one, they speak of explicit acts of intimacy with plenty of profanity to add color to their story. Once everyone has spoken, it is your turn. What do you say? Do you go with the flow and come up with your own one-night stand story or do you decline to respond? Do you go with the flow and speak words that dishonor God and your faith but impress your co-workers, or do you honor God, potentially facing ridicule and jeering from your co-workers?
In times like this, it is so important to hold fast to your values. Do not be concerned with what others will think. Your relationship with God is the most important relationship you will ever have and the actions you take as you walk with God are a key part of that relationship. Hold fast to your values. Prioritize your relationship with God – it’s the anchor that keeps you grounded amidst life’s storms and enriches your life in countless ways.
Wrap Up
In today’s message, we kicked off our “Living a Courageous Life” series by exploring 3 ways we can be authentic in our faith. We reviewed several opportunities we have to be a beacon of light and set an example of our faith when we are out and about in the world. We explored the idea that it is perfectly normal to be afraid and worried in our walk with God. We learned that part of being authentic in our faith is bringing these fears and worries before God instead of pursuing ways to take matters into our own hands. Lastly, we discussed the importance of holding fast to our values, regardless of social pressures that may be around us. We learned that we need not cater to how the world does things if it will dishonor God because our walk with God is far more important and our relationship with God is the most important relationship we will ever have.
Embrace your journey of faith – God will reveal the path to becoming your most authentic self.
Are you interested in discovering more about the guidance offered in this message? Learn more in the companion article Going Deeper with the Word: Be Authentic in Your Faith
