Why Our World Needs More People with a Quiet, Steady Faith
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Since the advent of social media and YouTube, our culture has become obsessed with the idea of instant fame. In our new world, the lottery is just a few clicks away! We can gain riches and fame as easily as having a post go viral. The allure is so compelling that it eats away at our ability to focus on what really matters, which is a quiet, simple, and faithful life.
The idea that we need to document all we do, continuously strive to gather influence, and obtain the lifestyle of the rich and famous distracts us from the real-life important stuff God has for us to do. Unfortunately, many times when believers gain the riches, influence, and fame of this world, moral failings are common. We must be cautious of the great temptations that so easily lure our souls towards destruction when we have more power than others around us.
Why Faithful Presence Matters More Than Ever
Faithful living happens in the day-to-day, unglamorous showing up. Our world is in desperate need of people willing to faithfully show up for their families, for their friends, at their jobs, and in their communities.
The research shows that our world is struggling to remain faithful to its goals and commitments; fewer of us are remaining steady. The percentage of U.S. kids growing up in single-parent households nearly tripled between 1960 and 2023. There are 360,531 kids in foster care in the United States. About 17% of us are leaving or losing jobs rather than staying put. The divorce rate remains between 40 and 50% of all first marriages. About 40% of college students have not completed their degrees within eight years of starting. As a culture, we have a problem sticking with it.
Why Does Faithful Living Matter to Us as Christians?
Much of the Christian faith is centered on being faithful, steady, and present in daily life. The Bible emphasizes how God desires for us to live humbly, given to the service of others and to the Lord. Here are a few Scriptures that point us towards a quiet, steady faith:
“Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24).
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much” (Luke 16:10).
“A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 28:20).
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master’” (Matthew 25:21).
“And to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
Why Obedience in the Quiet Moments Matters Most
The quiet, simple, unseen moments matter to the Lord. I’d venture to say they even matter the most to Him. One day, he may allow you to speak his word to the crowds, but that opportunity doesn’t come without him seeing you show some grit with the little tasks.
Truly, when we meet God in Heaven, his assessment of who we are and how we’ve used the life we have been given has almost nothing to do with the actions we might have taken in the limelight; we are almost solely judged on the things we did when no one was looking.
How did we shepherd our children? Did we continue to forgive our spouse, or did we shut them out? Were we willing to serve others at work, or were we only looking out for ourselves? Did we guard our hearts from lust, addiction, pride, and other temptations, or did we let secret sins fester in our lives? Did we pray loudly for all to see, or were we willing to quietly seek the Lord for the strength required for life? Are our actions defined by the fruits of the spirit or do we let anger, wrath, and selfishness rule our lives?
These are the questions that matter for a believer. None of them has anything to do with going viral, owning a mansion, or even having a large ministry. That’s not to say God never uses those things, but when they happen, they are still things to be faithfully stewarded. What God cares about most is how you are faithfully engaging those outlets. They don’t define you, and they definitely aren’t your ticket to Heaven or even to a good life.
The life we are called to seek after is a life that is willing to daily take up our cross and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). A life that encourages others (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We are to live as lights in the darkness (1 John 1:7). We are called to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).
The people that need to see this from you are the ones that live in your home, work alongside you, attend church with you, and live in your neighborhood. When we are so distracted from the example we set for the people who know us, the world starts falling apart. You are where you are on purpose and for a purpose. Don’t forget that. Your child, your neighbor, your pastor, and your friend needs you. When we are faithful to the lives we’ve been given, God wins. His light shines brightly through us through the love we offer in our little communities. Don’t let the world distract you from the true Holy work ahead of you today.
Trusting God’s Goodness in the Midst of Life’s Chaos
Lamentations 3:25-27 says, “The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.”
Life is full of temptation, uncertainty, distractions, and chaos. But the Bible reminds us that it is good for us to wait quietly on the salvation of the Lord. This looks like patience, humility, and trusting that God has a good plan for us, along with a heart dedicated to knowing God.
Waiting is not something most of us enjoy. I know this firsthand. We have spent the past five years as foster parents, and it’s felt like an endless test in waiting. Waiting for a child, waiting for court, waiting to hear from the social worker, waiting to see how the birth parents respond, waiting for permanency, and on the list goes. But in all that waiting, God has taught me so much about what it means to love and trust Him. The quiet waiting seasons are good for us. It’s in those moments that we must learn to seek the Lord and work out the salvation he has offered to us.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/AaronAmat
