Faith Un-surrendered Is Not Faith, Is Just Thought
- BT Taylor
- Feb 21
- 5 min read
Faith Un-surrendered Is Not Faith, Is Just Thought
There is a difference between thinking about God and trusting God.There is a difference between believing He exists and surrendering to what He says.
Faith un-surrendered is not faith — it is thought.
It is agreement without obedience. It is inspiration without movement. It is conviction without alignment.
And Scripture makes something very clear:
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him.” — Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV)
Not without talent.Not without gifting.Not without church activity.
Without faith.
So the real question becomes: what is faith?
Faith Is Not Just Belief — It Is Surrender
Many people say they believe in God.Many can quote Scripture.Many feel emotional in worship.
But faith is not measured by emotion. It is measured by surrender.
Faith is not saying, “I agree.”Faith is saying, “I obey.”
You can believe that God is good and still refuse to trust Him with your life.You can believe He provides and still live in fear. You can believe He forgives and still hold onto shame.
Faith is not what you think — it is what you entrust.
When Abraham left his homeland in Genesis 12, he did not have the full picture. He did not have a guarantee on how it would unfold. He simply had a word from God — and he moved.
That is faith.
Faith surrenders control before outcomes are visible.
Un-surrendered Faith Is Mental Agreement
There are many believers today who have theological agreement but not surrendered living.
They say:
“I know God is calling me.”“I know I should forgive.”“I know I should step out.”“I know I should trust Him.”
But knowing and doing are two very different things.
The Bible says in James 2 that faith without works is dead. Dead faith is not hostile to God — it is inactive. It is unused. It never leaves the realm of thought.
You can sit in church for years. You can serve on a team. You can carry a title.
But if your life is not yielded to what God speaks, that is not active faith.
It is thought.
Real faith moves.
Pleasing God Is a Faith Issue
We often try to please God with performance.
We try to impress Him with busyness.We try to earn His approval with spiritual activity.We try to compensate for insecurity with effort.
But Scripture does not say, “Without hard work it is impossible to please Him.”
It says without faith.
God is not looking for flawless execution.He is looking for surrendered trust.
Enoch pleased God because he walked with Him (Hebrews 11:5).Noah pleased God because he built something that had never existed before rain had ever fallen.Moses pleased God because he chose obedience over comfort in Pharaoh’s house.
Faith always requires surrender.
If you still have to understand everything before you move, that is not faith.If you still need guarantees before obedience, that is not faith.
Faith says, “Because You said it, I trust You.”
Faith Requires Risk
Faith is rarely convenient.
Peter stepped out of the boat in Matthew 14 not because the storm stopped — but because Jesus spoke. The wind was still blowing. The water was still unstable.
Faith does not wait for safe conditions. It responds to God’s voice.
Too many believers pray, “Lord, increase my faith,” but refuse to step into the situations that grow faith.
Faith grows through use.
Muscle grows through resistance.Courage grows through challenge. Faith grows through action.
If you never step, your faith remains theory.
Increase Your Faith — But Also Use It
There are two dangerous extremes:
Living without faith.
Talking about faith without using it.
You may read books about faith. You may listen to sermons on faith. You may declare scriptures about faith.
But faith unused becomes stagnant.
When God tells you to:
• Forgive — use your faith.• Give — use your faith.• Apologize — use your faith.• Step into leadership — use your faith.• Start the vision — use your faith.• End the compromise — use your faith.
It is not enough to say, “I believe.”
You must act.
Faith is not grown in comfort — it is grown in obedience.
Fear Often Masquerades as Wisdom
Sometimes un-surrendered faith is disguised as “being practical.”
“I’m just being wise.”“I’m just waiting for confirmation.”“I’m just gathering more information.”
But sometimes that is simply fear.
Faith does not deny wisdom. But it refuses to let fear have authority.
There comes a moment where delay becomes disobedience.There comes a moment where overthinking becomes resistance.
Faith surrenders even when logic is incomplete.
That does not mean recklessness. It means obedience.
Faith and Control Cannot Coexist
One of the greatest enemies of faith is control.
We want:
• Predictable outcomes• Emotional safety• Clear timelines• Full explanations
But surrender requires letting go.
When you cling to control, you are trusting yourself more than God.
Faith says:“Lord, You see what I do not.”“You understand what I cannot.”“You are faithful even when I do not feel confident.”
Surrender is the evidence of faith.
Living a Life That Pleases God
If it is impossible to please God without faith, then a pleasing life is a surrendered life.
Not a perfect life.
Not a life without struggle.
But a life that chooses trust again and again.
Pleasing God looks like:
• Trusting Him when finances are uncertain.• Trusting Him when relationships feel strained.• Trusting Him when ministry seems slow.• Trusting Him when clarity feels delayed.
Faith says, “Even here, I believe You.”
And that pleases Him.
Because it honors who He is.
Faith Impacts Everything
Faith is not a Sunday concept. It is a daily posture.
Faith shapes:
• How you lead.• How you speak.• How you forgive.• How you dream.• How you give.• How you endure.
When faith is active, your life shifts from reaction to obedience.
It moves you from anxiety to alignment.From self-preservation to surrender.From striving to trust.
Faith does not eliminate struggle — it anchors you inside it.
What Does Using Faith Look Like Practically?
Using faith is simple — though not always easy.
It looks like:
Obeying promptly.
Releasing outcomes.
Standing firm when challenged.
Moving forward when afraid.
Speaking truth in love.
Believing God’s Word over your feelings.
You do not need dramatic gestures to walk in faith. You need consistent obedience.
Small acts of surrendered trust build strong faith.
The Danger of Comfortable Christianity
One of the greatest threats to faith today is comfort.
When life becomes predictable, faith becomes optional.
But Scripture never presents faith as optional.
It is the foundation of Christian living.
Hebrews 11 is not a chapter of perfect people. It is a chapter of surrendered people.
They did not all see the fulfillment of the promise — but they trusted the One who made it.
And that pleased God.
Final Reflection
Faith un-surrendered is not faith — it is thought.
It may sound spiritual. It may look convincing.But without surrender, it lacks power.
A life that pleases God is not built on talent. It is not sustained by effort. It is not maintained by emotion.
It is anchored in faith.
And faith is proven in surrender.
You don’t only need to increase your faith.
You need to use it.
When God speaks — move.When He corrects — respond.When He calls — answer.When He asks — release.
Faith is not what you say you believe.
It is what you entrust to Him.
Live surrendered. Live obedient. Live by faith.
Because without it, it is impossible to please Him.
So step out on the work right now. there is not a time like Present what do you mean I mean NOW. Well it is 12 am! 1 am I am at work the excuse will always find you but right now faith has found you! All will be amazing! Please God take the step

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