Putting
Your Faith in Action
by Nick Vujicic
Having faith, beliefs, and convictions is a great thing, but your life is
measured by the actions you take based upon them. You can build a great life
around those things you believe and have faith in. I’ve built mine around my
belief that I can inspire and bring hope to people facing challenges in their
lives. That belief is rooted in my faith in God. I have faith that He put me on
this earth to love, inspire, and encourage others and especially to help all
who are willing to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I believe that
I can never earn my way to heaven, and by faith I accept the gift of the
forgiveness of sins through Christ Jesus. However, there’s so much more than
just “getting in” through the Pearly Gates. It is also about seeing others
changed by the power of His Holy Spirit, having a close relationship with Jesus
Christ throughout this life, and then being further rewarded in heaven.
Being born without arms and legs was not God’s way of punishing me. I know
that now. I have come to realize that this “disability” would actually heighten
my ability to serve His purpose as a speaker and evangelist. You might be
tempted to think that I’m making a huge leap of faith to feel that way, since
most people consider my lack of limbs a huge handicap. Instead, God has used my
lack of limbs to draw people to me, especially others with disabilities, so I
can inspire and encourage them with my messages of faith, hope, and love.
In the Bible, James said that our actions, not our words, are the proof of
our faith. He wrote in James 2:18, “Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have
faith; others have good deeds.’ But I say, ‘How can you show me your faith if
you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.’”
I’ve heard it said that our actions are to our faith and beliefs as
our bodies are to our spirits. Your body is the housing of your
spirit, the evidence of its existence. In the same way, your actions are the
evidence of your faith and beliefs. You have no doubt heard the term “walking
the talk.” Your family, friends, teachers, bosses, coworkers, customers, and
clients all expect you to act and live in alignment with the beliefs and
convictions that you claim to have. If you don’t, they will call you out, won’t
they?
Our peers judge us not by what we say but by what we do. If you claim to be
a good wife and mother, then you sometimes will have to put your family’s
interests above your own. If you believe your purpose is to share your artistic
talents with the world, then you will be judged on the works you produce, not
on those you merely propose. You have to walk the talk; otherwise you have no
credibility with others—or with yourself—because you, too, should demand that
your actions match your words. If they don’t, you will never live in harmony
and fulfillment.
As a Christian, I believe the final judge of how we’ve lived is God. The
Bible teaches that His judgment is based on our actions, not our words.
Revelation 20:12 says, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works.” I act upon my beliefs by traveling
the world and encouraging people to love one another and to love God. I am
fulfilled in that purpose. I truly believe it is why I was created. When you
act upon your beliefs and put your faith into action, you, too, will experience
fulfillment. And please, do not be discouraged if you aren’t always absolutely
confident in your purpose and how to act upon it. I have struggled. I still
struggle. And so will you. I fail and am far from perfect. But deeds are merely
the fruit—the result of the depth of a true conviction of the truth. Truth is
what sets us free, not purpose. I found my purpose because I was looking for
truth.
It is hard to find purpose or good in difficult circumstances, but that is
the journey. Why did it have to be a journey? Why couldn’t a helicopter just
pick you up and carry you to the finish line? Because throughout the difficult
times, you will learn more, grow more in faith, love God more, and love your
neighbor more. It is the journey of faith that begins in love and ends in love.
Frederick Douglass, the American slave turned social activist, said, “If
there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Your character is formed by the
challenges you face and overcome. Your courage grows when you face your fears.
Your strength and your faith are built as they are tested in your life
experiences.
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