In
The Pursuit of God, A.W. Tozer described faith as "the gaze of the soul at God." He described the joy of those who discover the delights of spending their lives inwardly gazing at God, their nourishment and strength.
I believe this idea is missed by many, if not all, who have not yet come to faith in Christ. They seem to see faith as staring at nothing, blind trust in oxygen. The truth that believers come to know, once they choose Christ, is that their gaze has an object, that once God brings our souls to life, we are able to see Him with our spiritual eyes. We are far from looking at nothing; we realize that we are looking at the most Real thing that has ever existed.
Of course, as humans, we see through a glass darkly, and Satan fights to obscure our view. Sometime we can see with more clarity than at other times. Faith means that we continue to gaze, even when darkness all but eclipses our view of Christ. It is an ongoing choice, a battle we wage to look unblinkingly on our Lord no matter what comes our way.
That is my desire this new year, to gaze at God. It's the goal of my tomorrow and the goal of my next fifty years. To focus my soul's attention on Him. I don't have lofty ambitions, though there are certainly things I hope some day to do and accomplish. All those things are nothing compared to this one goal. I want to be single-minded as I look upon His beauty, grace, and majesty, my attention taken by Him in every circumstance.
Happy, unbelievably happy, is the person whose life is consumed with gazing at God. What a privilege to be able to focus our lives on the One who gave His life for us and in whom all beauty and grace find their origins. I can't imagine a new year's goal I'd rather have.
What do you think of Tozer's description of faith? How would you describe faith?
Comments (14)
This is a good definition of faith, as it is a definition that can encompass trust, doubt, fear and adoration together. All aspects of faith.
Without faith it's impossible to please God and those that come to him must believe that "He is" and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
My goal exactly this year. Focusing on God, gazing at Him. That's how we become more like Him, thus reflecting Him to others and walking daily with His Spiritual guidance.
The description is beautiful.
I have a hard time when people attempt to define faith outside of Hebrews 11:1. Though, I can go along with obscure definitions that hold true to Hebrews 11:1. I'd throw this in that group.
I love Towzer. I think the definition is a deep one, but not a complete one.
Just as @TheGreatBout@xanga - mentioned, Hebrews 11:1 is probably what I consider to be the fullest definition.
I personaly don't have anything against defining faith as Towzer did, providing the person realizes there is infinitely more to it than simply gazing because gazing implies a motionless, docile, state; faith incorporates movement, action, and a whole multitude of things.
@TheGreatBout@xanga - Yeah, I was thinking that too as I was reading this. I don't have any problem with going outside Scripture for anything, but in this case, that definition seems adequate.
Major nominalization. Another words BS!!!
you lost my interest after you began talking about what non-Christians think of faith. just because we don't share your beliefs, that doesn't mean we have an incorrect or inaccurate idea of them. and it's a little arrogant to assume that someone isn't Christian because they don't know what they're refusing.
ROFL!
How is "doubt" and "fear" an aspect of "faith"?
I like how the Bible describes Faith: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
It has become one of my favorite verses.
This is very interesting and thought-provoking for me. I really never looked at it that way before.
I have to say that my interpretation of faith is faith. Faith does not mean you have tangible evidence that you can hold in your hand and that cannot be argued with that prove what you are believing in is right. Faith is knowing that it is right, even in the face of having nothing like that to point to and say, "this proves it without a shadow of a doubt, no matter who you are."
Faith is many things, and often times those things differ depending on whom you speak to. But, to me, that is what faith is.
One cannot see God the Father, right now, because his person is not at present, here We may not gaze at God the Head person on the Godhead, as he is not here. Right. What faith is, is the result of having seen a miracle happen, and know that we may pray in the same fashion and get the same miraculous results every time, God willing. We understand that with God everything is possible. ...Love,Sandy