The Cost of Faith

Acts 19:18-20 KJV 

18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. 19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.

As I was reading about Paul, I was struck not only at the amount of suffering he, himself, endured, but also what others did as well.

While in Ephesus, Paul preached Christ and many came to know Him. When those who were into "curious arts" (some translations say strange arts) came to faith, they were convicted to rid themselves of their old practices. They burned books that together were valued at 50,000 pieces of silver!

Could they have turned around and sold them to others? Sure, but then their influence would have still been around. They took a financial loss for their faith.

This brings to mind ways we may endure financial loss due to our faith. Maybe it is throwing something away instead of selling it. Maybe it is spending more to purchase something so we aren't supporting a business that uses their profits for things that go against God's commands. Or, maybe, it is by not making as much money on something because we refuse to participate in practices that bring harm to others. There are many ways that our faith may cost us.

My prayer is that my faith is always stronger than the financial cost.

Has your faith cost you financially? How did you deal with it? I would love for you to share. Sharing may encourage someone else who is dealing with the possibility of financial loss because of their faith.