"Faith That is Sure"

"But Thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us." (Psalms 44:7) You are only going to have faith that is as strong as what you put your faith in; if you put your faith in yourself, and try and place any trust in your own abilities, then your faith is surely going to not stand the test. That is hard for us to understand, although we think that we have it all figured out, until something hits us that is way out of our control, then we freak out. Why is that so? Could it be something as simple as where we have placed our faith? I am not saying that we don't have faith in God, He is always there, and we get that; it's more about what we have placed between us and God, more than anything else. Putting into practice the act of surrendering to God is a lot harder than we sometimes realize, only because surrender does not stop at the changed heart; surrender goes all the way to the very end. Think of someone that you might be at war with, someone who surrenders to you, as to say, I give up; did they give up because they were in a tight situation, or did they give up because they were surrendering to your rules? If they surrendered, and then went right back to living as before, have they truly surrendered at all? or were they just buying time so as to figure out a different strategy to try and win the war? If we are placing all of faith in God, then in Him must all of our faith be placed; yet, we place our faith in God, and then instantly set out to walk in our own strength, as if God has bestowed upon us some sort of power that has been granted us, when the power is only in Him. Try a little humility, and just realize that you are totally worthless without God's grace; if it were not for His grace, then we would still be stuck in darkness, not knowing who He is, or what it is that we shall become... "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:6-10)