How Faith Works, and How to Use it to Your Advantage
Where Your Focus Goes, Your Energy Flows
Have you ever noticed how there are always two sides to everything? It’s all about how you frame the information you receive that lets you react positively or negatively.
What is Framing?
Framing is the way information or situations are presented, and it influences how you perceive and interpret them. It shapes your understanding and responses by highlighting certain aspects while downplaying others. For example, describing a glass as half-full versus half-empty frames the same situation differently, affecting your attitude and feelings toward it.
The Power of Your Focus
When you receive information, you have a choice: focus on the negative or the positive. The focus you choose creates a belief in your heart—either faith or doubt.
Faith and Focus
Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is belief in what you desire, hope for, or expect. It creates excitement and anticipation in your heart, energizing you when the outcome you expect seems desirable, possible, or attainable. This energy then empowers you to act and move closer to your desired outcome. James 2:26 confirms this, stating, “Faith without works is dead.” For faith to be truly activated, it must be followed by action.
Doubt and Its Impact
On the other hand, doubt is belief in the outcome you don’t desire. Just as faith creates anticipation, doubt creates anxiety and nervousness. This form of energy stems from believing that the outcome you desire will not happen, leading you to focus on all the things that could go wrong. When you doubt, it robs you of the energy to act, leaving you feeling powerless.
Breaking the Cycle of Doubt
It’s easier to expect unfavorable outcomes because we’ve experienced them so many times before. We tend to project those experiences into our present, dismantling our future by not taking action. To expect and believe in the outcome you desire, you need to experience it in your imagination. Envision it happening to energize your heart and act in a way that aligns with your desired outcome.
Transforming Doubt into Faith
When you replace doubt with faith, you take actions in faith that you wouldn’t have taken in doubt. Remember, where your focus goes, your energy flows. Focus on speaking God’s word into your life so that it begins to produce faith for you.
4 Steps for Acting in Faith
- Seek Out Positive Information: Be mindful of the information you consume. Seek out positive, faith-building content that aligns with your goals and values. Balance this with biblical content, focusing on God’s promises to combat negative, fear-based messages.
- Choose to Focus on the Positive: When you receive information, consciously choose to focus on the positive aspects. Reframe negative thoughts by finding something hopeful or beneficial in the situation.
- Generate Faith-Fueled Energy: Cultivate feelings of faith by practicing gratitude, visualizing success, and speaking positive affirmations. Reflect on things you are grateful for and spend a few minutes each day imagining your success. Repeat affirmations and trust that God has a plan for your life to be prosperous.
- Take Empowered Actions: Use the energy of anticipation to take proactive steps toward your goals. Break your goals into small, manageable tasks and celebrate each achievement. Surround yourself with supportive people, read and meditate on God’s word, and set aside time for prayer to maintain your faith and motivation.
