What can you do if you have spent a lifetime in church and religious activities, but you now realize that you have never truly lived by faith?

    The answer is encouraging. You can still pursue faith, regardless of your age.

    Before I suggest some corrective measures for those making a late start in living a life of real faith, I want to restate three principles:

1. You must understand that living by faith is not an option. God expects you to live by faith. You cannot please Him without faith.

2. You must avoid minimizing the importance of living by faith. Church members are often placated with the assurance that all believers are living by faith. Yes, if you are truly a child of God, you have received salvation through faith. But salvation alone does not mean that your daily life is an ongoing life of faith.

       If you cannot currently point to instances in your life of trusting God, you are not living by faith. Many adults in our evangelical churches regularly attend Sunday School and church services and are "busy" in church activities. They listen to Christian radio and follow various Bible studies. They may even read their Bibles and pray daily. In-and-of itself, none of this is living by faith. If this describes your life, then according to Hebrews 11:6, you are not pleasing God. You are merely living a religious life.

       You are living by faith when you trust God rather than relying on conventional means for something you need, or you trust Him for something when that trust incurs otherwise avoidable personal risk. You are also living by faith when you are resting in Him during times of turmoil in your life. If you cannot see these elements of faith in your life, you are not living by faith.

3. On the other hand, you must allow God to lead you individually without trying to copy others' experiences of faith. You will know if you are trusting God for specific concerns in your life. It is an active process of which you will be aware.

    If you cannot look at your life and clearly see acting or trusting faith, then I hope that you will take remedial action.

    However, I am not suggesting that you "busy" yourself with more religious activities. Your emphasis must be on trusting God rather than spending more time serving your church or other Christian organizations.

    If you have not been living by faith, then you need to repent—meaning that you need to "turn around and go the opposite direction" (which is the meaning of repent). After sin is confessed, however, you are able to start over fresh.

    If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

    Now, thank God for delivering you from "all unrighteousness" and joyfully pursue faith. Your past failures are behind you.

    As you begin to pursue faith, ask God for two things. First, ask God to give you a deep love for Jesus. Then ask Him to give you faith.

    In your own strength, you can neither love Jesus nor trust Him. You must ask Him to give you the capacity to do both. (Carefully review Chapter 5.)

    You must also seriously consider the cost of faith. You will need to give Jesus permission to do anything in your life He chooses that will cause you to trust Him more. You must also re-orient your response to adversity. Now, rather than immediately asking others' prayer for relief, you will first need to evaluate the lessons God wants you to learn though the adversity. This does not preclude God's eventual deliverance from the trial, but it means that the adversity now has purpose. You cannot run from hardship. You must allow God to use it in your life as He intends.

    Begin the process of regularly asking God for the faith (and love for Jesus) that He wants you to have for each day. Live in the victory that He will graciously provide faith to you.

    God is both sovereign and merciful. Even though you may now deeply regret your late start, trust Him to lead you into whatever faith experiences He has for you. Starting now, He will give you as much faith as He wants you to have for each day. When you stand before Him in Heaven, both you and He will be satisfied with your level of faith. He will not demand more from you then than He is willing to give you now if you become fully obedient in pursuing faith.

    For [Yahweh] God is a sun and shield; [Yahweh] bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless (Psalms 84:11). (Emphasis added.)

    Whether you are a student, an apprentice or young professional, a middle-aged working adult, or a retiree, God is calling you to please Him as you live by faith.

    Accept Jesus' offer to be the Author and Perfecter of your faith. Then anticipate your joy in Heaven when you can stand before Him without shame, knowing that your life fulfilled the purpose of His costly sacrifice for you.