What is Faithfulness?
Faithfulness: remaining loyal, steadfast; true to the facts or the original; true to one's word or promises
synonyms: reliable, trusted, accurate
Faithfulness is one of the fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. God is faithfulness.
2 Timothy 2:13
If we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself
2 Thessalonians 3:3, 1 John 1:9, 1 Thessalonians 5:24
How do we respond to God’s Faithfulness to bless us?
SERVE
Ephesians 4:11
So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
The first step in how to be faithful is literally just saying yes. Stepping out in faith, trusting God that He is in control and makes all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28). The second step: just do it. Moving on.
RELATIONSHIPS
In terms of romantic relationships, if it’s something that God called you to, we have a responsibility to God and the other person of remaining faithful to the relationship.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overcome you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
It’s not much different in nonromantic relationships or friendships. We should still be reliable and trustworthy to our friends and family, staying true to our word.
Matthew 5:37 CSB
Let your “yes” mean “yes” and your “no” mean “no.” Anything more than this is from the evil one.
JOB
Whether you like your job or not, you are at that job for a reason. Staying faithful in your job could be easier or harder depending on how much you like your job, but ultimately it should look the same. Doing it with excellence, showing up on time, having a good attitude, etc.
Ultimately, being faithful to your job is being faithful to God.
MISSION
Sometimes God calls us to actually go somewhere to share the Gospel and love people, but the faithful response isn’t going because you want to go to a foreign country. The faithful response is going.
Matthew 28:19
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Persevering Through the Good and Bad
Being faithful is a lot harder than being thankful. Faithfulness is not a quick response, it takes longevity. We often struggle to be consistent at doing the righteous things we want to do.
Romans 7:15
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
It takes PERSEVERENCE. It’s easy to be faithful when you haven’t had to persevere through something.
Romans 5:3-5
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
In the midst of hard things, it is hard to remember the blessings. Bad things don't change the fact that God is still good, and that he is still working. He is unchanging.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Paul asks this question in Romans referring to people being faithful or unfaithful to Jewish custom and law:
Romans 3:3
What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God's faithfulness? Not at all! Let God be true and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.
Regardless of how we feel like this are right now, we still need to respond in faithfulness, not based on what we have in us, but what He gives us.
