You Will To Have Faith or Unbelief

John 20:25

The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Unbelief is a choice just as much as faith is a choice. You choose to either have faith or unbelief. When Thomas heard Jesus had appeared to the disciples without him being there, he said, except he saw the print of the nails in Jesus’ hands and put his finger into the print, he said, I will not believe. One word kept Thomas from believing, and that word was not. Notice this phrase without that one word: I will believe. Thomas chose not to believe when he could have chosen to believe.

Faith or unbelief is a choice you will yourself to have. You can have faith if you will yourself to have faith. Sadly, most people will themselves to have unbelief. It takes just as much power to have unbelief as it does to have faith. Jesus shows a person chooses to have either faith or unbelief when He said in verse 29, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Thomas had to see to believe, but Jesus said the blessed are those who believed without seeing. Let me share a few thoughts about willing yourself to faith or unbelief.

First, you cannot live a life of faith if you must wait to see before you believe. Most believers live by sight, and that is why most believers do not enjoy the miraculous that comes from living by faith. Many wait to see if faith becomes reality before they choose to get on board, but they miss the true joys that come from acting by faith. Waiting to see before you believe will keep you waiting for the rest of your life to see the miracles that faith-living produces.

Second, your perspective is a great determination as to whether you live by faith or unbelief. If you are pessimistic by nature, you will naturally live in unbelief. However, if you are optimistic by nature, you will naturally live by faith. Your perspective does matter, and you choose your perspective. You choose whether to be negative or positive in life. But, make no mistake, the perspective you choose influences whether you enjoy the blessings of faith.

Third, you will yourself to have faith or unbelief. To will yourself is a revelation of your discipline. It doesn't take discipline to doubt because you are living by sight. However, it takes great discipline and character to live by faith. Our flesh lives by sight, which always causes unbelief to reign in our lives. However, you can also will yourself by character to live a life of faith.

Fourth, whether you choose unbelief or faith determines your happiness in life. The word blessed means to be happy. When Jesus said, blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed, He was saying those who will themselves to have faith are happy people. The happiest people in the Christian life are those who don't have to see to believe, but they believe because they have faith that God will come through if they trust God enough to live by faith.

What are you willing yourself to do? The Christian life is a life of faith, and you will never know the joys the Christian life brings until you will yourself to live the life of faith. You will find true joy in life if you choose faith by character.