Faith

(Heb 11:1) "What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see." Pay careful attention to the word "yet" here. Faith does not mean that we don't see things in their practical reality, as they are now. It does mean though, that we choose to not accept only that perspective and we also choose to believe for what something can be. The "yet" means that the thing that we are believing for in faith is not how it is right now, or at least not how it looks as of now. But, it can be and that is the point of believing, even when it seems impossible. What is the point of the Christian life without faith? It is empty; just another system and way of proving ourselves as acceptable to God.
But that was never God's point of getting through to us: He didn't choose a system to meet us, He chose a person instead. When we forget about the person of Jesus Christ, we forget about His sacrifice, and the point of life and faith altogether. It is not only difficult or challenging to please God without faith- it is impossible. Because without faith, we are depending upon our own good works and attitudes and behaviors. Yet, if we are depending on those things alone, then surely we will be condemned because not one of us can be without sin, and none of us can EVER follow the law to the last exact letter. So, why am I a Christian? Well, because of the meaning of that word itself, I want to be an imitator of Christ; I want to be accused of being a little Christ. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. I want to be like that. I want to sacrifice for others. I want to love. I would literally die and give up my life for people to know the purpose of theirs, to know Christ, but that is not necessary because Jesus already did that. So, I must live for Him. Not proving myself to earn my way to Him, but choosing to believe that He will do the work to transform me and use my life as I willingly submit it. I don't understand everything there is to understand about faith, but I do know that I would rather live with faith than without it. Faith makes me alive when the circumstances seem doomed. Faith encourages my heart when I don't have hope and don't believe for what I've prayed for. Faith the size of a mustard seed could move a mountain into the sea. Faith is honoring to God, it is taking Him at His Word.
2 Cor 5:7 "That is why we live by believing and not by seeing." There are many times when I don't "see" what I want to see, but that doesn't mean that God isn't accomplishing it for my good. Faith gives me the proof of what I, on my own, do not yet see.