Work – an activity involving mental and/or physical effort done in order to achieve a result; task(s) to be undertaken; the result of an action

Faith – complete trust in something or someone; a strongly held belief

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2: 17,18

What happens when you believe you have all the faith in the world about a dream, that it will happen, but don’t do anything regarding it? It is almost like daydreaming, you know? What happens when you daydream? It is a lovely feeling in the mind, thinking of how that dream would work for you, but at the same time sitting in your comfy chair or lying in bed, not jotting it down, not looking into it further about how it can move from the realms of the mind to the openness of reality, where it blossoms through the work. When this occurs, it is there where one has made the decision to move at the realization of faith.

For many (me included), this can be challenging to say the least. Moving past the fear, the atmosphere of the unknown, and just venturing out can seem like a difficult task. Faith is needed, this is true. But if that is all you have, your faith is dead, as said in the second chapter of James. It is like faith in and of itself is feeling lonely, needing a partner to blossom into an atmosphere of optimum speed to become exceptionally magnificent.

• The book of Nehemiah tells of how one man led a group of people to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. He came up with a plan of what he needed, talked to the king about it who gave him what was needed in letters and supplies to get the task done and let many to get the task completed: faith paired with works.
• In the ninth chapter of Matthew faith enabled the woman with the issue of blood to imagine the possibility of being healed; that, coupled with her movement to get to Jesus at all costs to touch the hem of his garment and immediately be made whole. Faith and works came together and the outcome was magnificent.
• Faith enabled a desperate father to bring his son to Jesus in the ninth chapter of Mark; the movement was he not only considered it, but got his son to Jesus (works). The outcome was total healing, and the father’s faith was increased.

Have you coupled your faith with works? Are the two working together, or separate, with your dream not becoming reality? Have you ventured out by researching and finding out how your dream can become reality, having faith that God will bring it to pass while at the same time being willing to do what it takes to actually realize what you know God has input in you to do?

It is great you have the faith: now work it, and be strengthenized through the process.