Understanding Faith and the Shift to a Kingdom Mindset
What is Faith?
Faith is a word we hear a lot, especially when it comes to talking about God or spiritual things. But what does it really mean in simple, everyday language? At its core, faith is trust. It’s like believing the sun will rise tomorrow. It is akin to trusting that when you flip a switch, the lights will come on. But faith in God is deeper. It’s trusting in Someone you can’t always see. This is Someone who promises to love you, guide you, and look after you. This holds true even when life gets tough.
The Importance of Faith
The Bible says in Hebrews 11:6, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Let’s break that down: God isn’t looking for perfect people, or super-humans who never make mistakes. What God wants most is for us to simply trust Him. It’s like when a child trusts their parent to catch them when they jump from the playground slide. God is asking us for the same trust, even though we can’t always see what’s ahead.
Abraham: The Example of Faith
One of the clearest examples of faith in the Bible is Abraham. He’s called the “friend of God.” Why? Because Abraham believed what God told him, even when it seemed impossible. There’s a story where God asked Abraham to give up his son Isaac—the very child God had promised him! That’s a hard thing to imagine. Abraham believed that God loved both him and Isaac. He trusted that God had a good plan. He trusted even if he didn’t understand it. Because of that trust, God called Abraham “righteous.” That means Abraham’s faith made him right in God’s eyes, just because he dared to believe.
Jesus and a New Kind of People
The Bible also says that Jesus gave Himself for us. He did this to gather a group of people who really belong to Him. In Titus 2:14, it says, “He gave Himself for us.” He did this to redeem us from all iniquity. He also sought to purify for Himself a peculiar people. That word “peculiar” doesn’t mean weird or strange in a bad way. It means special, one-of-a-kind, set apart. God is looking for people who are willing to be a little different. These are people who believe that God’s thoughts about them are good. They are brave enough to trust Him with their lives.
Are You Willing to Trust God?
It’s easy to go with the flow. It’s easy to just believe what everyone around you believes. It’s also easy to live life on autopilot. But God is looking for people who will stand out. He seeks those who will trust Him even when life isn’t easy. God wants individuals who are willing to be “peculiar” in a world that often doesn’t understand real faith. If you are willing to believe that God means good for you, and you believe He has a purpose for your life, you are already taking a step. You are becoming the person God treasures.
The Kingdom Mindset
We grow up learning to see ourselves the way others do. Maybe our family, friends, or society tell us who we are. They also tell us what we’re worth. Sometimes, those voices don’t line up with what God says about us. That’s where faith comes in, again. Faith says, “I believe what God says about me is true. This belief holds even if I don’t feel like it. It remains true even if I’ve been told otherwise.”
This is called the Kingdom Mindset. It means seeing yourself the way God sees you. You are a person with value, purpose, and a destiny that only you can fulfill. It’s about letting your thoughts and beliefs shift away from old labels and limitations. Move towards the new identity God gives to each of us.
Why Does Our Mindset Matter?
Imagine you’re trying to run a race. Someone keeps telling you that you’ll never make it to the finish line. If you listen to them, you give up before you even start. But what if you listened to the coach? This coach knows your strengths. He believes in you. He has a plan to help you succeed. God is that coach. He has always thought well of you. He knows your potential and wants you to see it too.
Many of us have environments—families, schools, workplaces—that have shaped how we see ourselves. Sometimes, those environments don’t understand the real purpose we were born to live out. Faith helps us break free from those old ideas. It allows us to step into the true life God has for us.
A 30-Day Journey: Making the Shift
If you want to start seeing yourself and your life the way God does, it takes time and intention. Think of it like training your mind to see the world differently. Many people find it helpful to set aside a few minutes each day. They use this time to reflect, read, and pray about what God says about them. This devotional practice isn’t about following rules. It focuses on getting to know God. It involves letting His words shape your thoughts and actions.
Over 30 days, you can focus on different truths each day. These truths include: “I am loved,” “I am chosen,” “I have a purpose,” and “God is with me.” As you repeat and reflect on these truths, your mindset starts to shift. You begin to believe what God says, not just what you’ve been told.
Enjoy the Journey
Changing the way you think and see yourself isn’t always easy, but it’s worth it. The journey to a Kingdom Mindset is about discovering the “real you”—the person God designed you to be. Along the way, you’ll find more joy, more peace, and more confidence.
Practical Tips for Building Faith
· Start small. Faith doesn’t have to start big. It can be as simple as asking God for help with something small and seeing how He responds.
· Read stories of faith. The Bible is full of stories about people who trusted God. Sometimes they doubted. Sometimes they failed. But God never gave up on them.
· Talk to God. This is all prayer is. It’s talking to God honestly. Share your fears and hopes. Listen for what God says back.
· Find support. Surround yourself with people who believe. They should encourage you. They will remind you of who you are in God’s eyes.
· Remember the past. Think about times when things worked out better than you expected. Recall instances when you felt helped in a way you couldn’t explain. Sometimes, faith is remembering those moments and knowing they weren’t just luck.
Faith and Value
When you start to believe that God has always thought well of you, it changes how you see yourself. It’s easier to let go of guilt, fear, and shame. It’s easier to step out and try new things. It’s easier to love others. It’s easier to make a positive difference in the world.
Faith doesn’t mean you’ll never have doubts or questions. Abraham had moments when he wondered how God would keep His promises. Even Jesus’ closest friends had doubts. But faith means choosing to trust, even when you don’t have all the answers.
What Does It Mean to Be “Peculiar”?
To the world, someone who trusts God fully seems a little different—maybe even “peculiar.” But being peculiar in God’s eyes means you are valuable and set apart for a purpose. It means daring to believe that God’s love for you is real. It also means believing you can live a life that reflects that love. It’s about being willing to stand out, to be brave, and to follow your calling, no matter what others think.
Are You Ready to Make the Shift?
At the end of the day, faith isn’t about having every detail figured out—it’s about who you trust. God invites you to trust Him, to believe that you are loved, valuable, and made for a purpose. He asks you to let go of old ways of thinking. He encourages you to make the shift to a Kingdom Mindset. This is a way of seeing yourself and the world that lines up with His truth.
So, are you willing to take a chance? Are you ready to be “peculiar” in the best way possible? Are you prepared to step into the life and destiny God has for you? The journey begins with one small step of faith. You must be willing to believe that the King has always thought well of you.
Enjoy the journey to the real you, and be determined to make the shift.
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