When we think of faith, we think about going to church, reading our Bible, and spending time in prayer. These are aspects of faith, but they are not faith in themselves.
Faith is life. Faith is how you live your life—all of it.
Faith is not a compartment of your life. It is not a time block on your calendar alongside things like work, gardening, or sports.
Your life and your faith are one. Everything about you should have faith superimposed over it, in it, and all around it. Your faith should inform everything that you are and do because your faith is you.
How Do You Score?
A simple method to see how well your faith informs your life is through this assessment.
Break your life into the following domains:
- Marital/Relationship
- Parental (if applies)
- Social
- Vocational (work, job)
- Avocational (sports, activities, gardening, etc)
- Financial
- Physical (your body, health)
- Emotional
Reflect
For each domain, ask yourself, “How well does my faith influence this domain?” The application of this question will vary for each person. Let me provide a few examples.
- Marital/Relationship: I am 100% devoted to my spouse. I do not look at other people sexually, flirt with others, or view sexually explicit material.
- Social: My social relationships (friends, acquaintances, people you hang out with) are with other people of faith or those who I am trying to influence in faith. I do not hang out with people who act, talk, play, or behave in unchristlike ways.
- Financial: I allow my faith to direct my finances. I set aside money to give to those in need. I intentionally practice giving to my church, not just whatever is in my wallet in worship. I give as Christ taught, not out of what I have left over after my weekend activities and buying possessions I don’t need, but just want because they are cool and fun.
- Vocational: When at work I use language I wouldn’t use in church. I laugh at jokes I wouldn’t tell at church. I hold grudges against those who don’t like me.
Rate
If you had to give yourself a color rating, how would you do in all domains? Use this color rating scheme.
- Red: I need a lot of work. I don’t do well at all.
- Yellow: I do okay, but I know I can improve.
- Green: I do great. My faith shines in this area.
Reflect on your answer to the previous question, “How well does my faith influence this domain?” Give yourself a color rating for each.
Change
After rating yourself, choose one domain that you need to improve. I recommend a Red rating and a Yellow rating.
Evaluate what steps you need to take to do better. If you want to find out what the Bible says about that domain, you need to study scriptures. You might buy a faith-based book that addresses that domain. You may seek counseling from your pastor or a mentor to address the short-comings.
This exercise teaches you how to allow your faith to guide your life—all of it. Your goal should be as the Apostle Paul describes as being fully transformed into the likeness of Christ.
Don't leave your faith to chance. If you do, you likely will never grow in the domains of your life that you need the most growth.
Where is Jesus?
Closer than you think. Find out in Recognizing Jesus in Your Everyday Life.
