Faith Requires Action
“Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” — James 2:17 (NKJV)
This morning, I received some news that I couldn’t wait to share. After being on blood pressure medication for at least 15 years, my doctor officially took me off of it! My blood pressure was 128/67.
Now, some may look at that and simply see a medical improvement, but I see something much deeper. I see what happens when we stop asking God to change our circumstances while refusing to change the things within our control.
For years, I knew I needed to take better care of myself. I knew I needed to exercise, eat healthier, and make better decisions. But knowing what we need to do and actually doing it are two very different things.
We cannot continue doing the same things and expect different results simply because we’re praying for them.
God has given us the ability to make choices, the wisdom to recognize what needs to change, and through the Holy Spirit, the strength to practice self-control.
Galatians 5:22–23 reminds us that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. But here’s something I’ve learned: self-control isn’t just about resisting temptation. It’s also about choosing to do what is right, even when we don’t feel like doing it.
There were mornings I didn’t want to exercise. There were meals where I wanted to eat whatever I pleased. There were days when it would have been easier to fall back into old habits.
But I had to remind myself that the temporary discomfort of discipline is far better than the long-term consequences of neglect.
And here’s what really struck me this morning.
How often do we pray for God to deliver us from something while continuing to hold on to the very habits that contribute to our struggles?
We pray for better marriages but refuse to change how we communicate. We pray for financial freedom but refuse to change how we spend. We pray for peace but continue filling our minds with things that steal it. We pray for better health but refuse to take care of the bodies we’ve been given.
Prayer is essential, but prayer was never intended to be an excuse for disobedience, complacency, or inaction.
Now, I want to be clear. Not every illness is caused by our choices, and not every struggle disappears because we become disciplined. Sometimes God heals, sometimes He sustains, and sometimes He works through the doctors, medications, and treatments He has made available to us.
But when God reveals something in our lives that needs to change, we have a responsibility to respond.
This morning wasn’t just about coming off medication. It was a reminder that the decisions we make today can influence the life we live tomorrow.
So here’s my question for you today:
What have you been asking God to change in your life that He’s already been calling you to take action on?
Maybe the breakthrough you’re praying for begins with the obedience you’ve been putting off.
Don’t just pray for change. Be willing to participate in it.
And when the results come, remember who deserves the glory.
To God be the glory!
— Rev. Carlos Figueroa
TheFreeBible.org
