Faithfulness

As I mentioned on Instagram last week, I am starting a series on the Fruits of the Spirit, and I have asked so of the most faithful women I know to write an excerpt on one they feel they can relate to! This week's post is by none other than my oldest sister, Mary Kate. Although I had some of the other girls choose the fruit in which they wanted to write about, I specifically asked Mary Kate to write about faithfulness, because I felt she truly embodied it. In her younger years, I watched my sister struggle with many obstacles throughout her life, most revolving around an alcohol addiction. I watched her hit low point after low point, and then rejoiced with her as she finally turned to God to rescue her. It has never been an easy road for her, but through everything she choses to remain faithful. Hope you enjoy!
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"Ignorance can lead us to put our faith in the lies the enemy feeds our heart. When we are not intoxicated with the spirit, we will chase worldly things to fill the giant void that comes from not knowing the message of Christ" -Romans 10:17. Faith comes from knowing this message, which is his word. I personally have tried to fill the hole, consuming it with alcohol and relationships, however I didn’t understand that those things will always fail me.

A couple of my favorite definitions of faithfulness are: Being true to ones promises; devoted; loyal or undeviating allegiance to a person, cause or institution; sincere; believed; trusted; It figuratively means "security" and morally means "fidelity;” One feels morally bound to support or defend. The greek word for faithfulness is ‘pistes’ and it means “firm persuasion, conviction, belief in the truth and veracity." It carries the idea of giving someone credit. An english synonym of the word is reality. 

I have always been labelled as loyal, because once you were in my circle of trust it would take death to break that bond. I have always fought for what I believed in and for those I love. From ages 16 to 26, I ran away from God and towards satans lies of happiness, because I believed my feelings were fact. I passionately chased pleasure and I numbed any pain and postponed dealing with it by drinking alcohol and chasing men. It wasn’t until my life was completely destroyed did I turn back to God. 

Satan continued to twist Gods truth and my deepest desire (a godly marriage), even as a believer. I thought because of my past that a man would never be able to love me, so I jumped into the first relationship where a man told me everything I needed to hear. He claimed to be a Christian and he promised me the world. I tried to earn his love and became a servant. I became completely consumed in this man and I was faithful to him, until God had to completely remove him out of my life because I didn’t have the strength to do it myself. 

Faithfulness depends on what we value as important combined with commitment, we focus your deepest faithfulness on the things most real to us. Faith is not an action but a response. My response to this loss was to trust God's promises. Hebrews 1:11 says that "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see". We may have to toss a few things overboard to keep from sinking. 

The degree of our faithfulness is the direct result of our regard for God’s faithfulness. Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe he exists and that he rewards those that earnestly seek him. There will never be conclusive evidence to prove to all humankind that God is the creator. He has ordained that some questions remain unanswered to force the issue of faith. Genuine faith walks steadfastly with God for the pleasure of his company not for his results. God does not call upon us to seek his works, he calls upon us to seek his heart. The right motives invite real miracles. "Satan will stop at nothing to weaken our faith through fear and familiarity.”-Beth Moore Living beyond yourself. 

My favorite story of faith is in Exodus 2:1-25 which describes the birth of Moses and the faith of his parents. The Egyptians oppressed God's people and they continued to grow and multiply. The Pharaoh grew fearful of their strength so he ordered all of the male babies to be thrown in the nile river. Hebrews 11:23 says 'By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict.’ When they could no longer hide him they sent him down the nile river and his sister watched as Pharaoh's daughter found the baby and took pity on him. Moses’s sister was close enough to say 'shall I fetch a Hebrew nurse for you?’ and Pharaohs daughter said ‘go’ and the girl fetched her mother. Pharaoh's daughter said 'take this child away and nurse him for me and I will give you your wages,’ so she could later raise him in the palace. God placed Moses’s mother as the paid nurse of her son when thought she would never see him again. God placed the deliverer of his people to be raised under the oppressors nose with the best education possible. This is the result of faith.

Heavy winds and raging seas don’t always mean you’re on the wrong course, my past has been the foundation for my wisdom because I’ve experienced heartache first hand on several different occasions. Fear is a vital response to physical and emotional danger. I know that God has a purpose for my pain to further his kingdom, so I no longer have room for fear. Fear and doubt prevent faith. If we are struggling with doubt we can ask Jesus to open our eyes. Jesus showed himself to Thomas when he needed more evidence. When John the baptist was in prison he wondered ‘where is my cousin?’ because he found himself in circumstances where he thought God would surely intervene. He didn’t like how his story was being written. John was labelled by Jesus as the greatest born among women and even he struggled with doubt in his time of need. God will always work everything out for his glory and our good. We should be more careful to give proof of the sincerity of our love one to another. 

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."-Romans 5:1-5 

Author: 

Mary Kate Planeta. 

Jesus follower. Yoga Instructor. Real Estate Agent.
www.Instagram.com/marykateplaneta

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