Faithful

That word has been on my heart all morning-faithful. Full of faith. To me, faithful can be used out of context, even by me. 

My dog lays at my feet, always wanting to be where I am. That’s being loyal, not faithful. 

Later I’ll head to the barn to feed and many faces will greet me, because I’m routine. They may have faith I’ll be there, but that doesn’t make me faithful...I have a priority and a job that I’m pretty consistent with and it’s a routine. Again, not faithful.  

Earlier I received a text from two friends...they are loyal and steadfast. I know that through thick and thin, I can count on them. Especially for prayer. Although I consider them solid, there’s a limit to what, when and how they can do things. Plus, they have their own lives.

These things fall in the definition of “faithful”, sure, but to me being truly faithful is even deeper than that. More than the synonyms that fall under the dictionary’s explanation of the word. 

Just because I do something routinely, doesn’t mean my heart is always fully into it. Sometimes we do things because they’re habit. Or it’s just what we’ve always done, like going to work or cleaning the kitchen. It has to be done, so we do it routinely. 

Caring for the dog creates a trust, he knows I’ll provide food and love and let him out at the same times every day so he repays me by his loyalty. But if my husband is around, he may not come to me, but go to him instead because he knows he’s more likely to get extra lovin’ from my husband. 

Having friends you can call on for a laugh, a cry and a good, solid prayer is a great thing. Those friends are steadfast, and they’re human. They have lives outside of mine where they have priorities that they need to tend to. 

Being faithful to me means being full of faith. Having full faith. 

Faith is defined as “complete trust of confidence in someone or something”. 

Chew on that for a second, what do you have complete trust in? Absolute, without a doubt, solid confidence…

Heaven forbid I get sick and i’m rendered unable to drag myself to the barn or let the dog out or my friends are busy…that faith would be shaken. Not so full. The horses would probably have anxiety attacks and the calf would never forgive me.

If I were to jump from a cliff into my husbands arms, I would trust him to catch me, but i would also consider things that might cause him to not…

I want to be faithful. I want to be full of faith in my God; trusting Him with every single thing in my life: every decision I make, every thing I care for, do, think, feel. No one loves me like He does. No person can be there for me as completely as He is. There isn’t any one person who would sacrifice their son for me. Especially because they want to be with me forever...FOR EVER. 

Faithful. 

Jesus had full faith that God had a plan when He came here and did what He did. Every thing Jesus did was scrutinized, criticized, ridiculed. He was tormented, tortured, lied to. Unimaginable pain and suffering was ahead of Him and He went willingly because of His faith, and His faithfulness. 

Jesus loves me. And He loves you. 

Never busy, never sick. Always there, willing and able. He won’t fail to catch me when I fall. And He’s coming for me...I have faith in that. I also have faith that He will not wait forever. 

So, each day I try harder than the last to be faithful. Faithful to the truth and teachings I need to know in order to do what I’m here to do so that when that time comes, perhaps God will say to me, “Well done good and faithful servant.” That’s I what strive to be, His good and faithful servant. Not His good and routine servant, nor His good and loyal servant. Especially not His good and habitual servant. Faithful. Putting all faith in what He has planned and lined out for me. Fully trusting, fully confident, complete trust in His plan and following it will every ounce of faith, not one drop of doubt. 

To me, that’s faithful. 

Hebrews 11

Proverbs 3

Ephesians 2:8-10