Faith Without Works

Today, I was reading in James 2. God has slowly been revealing a truth to me: Faith without works is dead. Now, this used to confuse me because I was always taught that we are saved through faith. This is true: we are saved through faith. Ephesians 2:8-9 says "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Praise Jesus my salvation isn't based on my works! I've been saved by the grace of God. That credit goes straight to God and not me. 
In the past, when I would read in James 2 that faith without works is dead, I didn't understand it. I thought it was contradicting Ephesians by saying that my salvation was, indeed, based on my actions. But after some discipleship and understanding from God, I've come to understand what this means. Faith in God is more than just believing in God. James 2:19 says that even the demons believe, and they tremble in terror. Having faith in God, to me and based on what I've read, means allowing God to come into your life and letting the Holy Spirit guide and convict you. Having faith means loving Jesus so much that people can see Him through your actions, your works. Having faith means letting your actions reflect those of Jesus, producing love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). James is saying that true faith in Christ should produce the fruits of the Spirit, because that shows that the Spirit is living and working in you. 
This passage has made me look at my life and see if I'm really allowing God to work in me. If I am, I should see good works being produced. Not that I'm not gonna mess up. I will fail because I am not in Heaven yet, and as long as I live on Earth, sin will still wage a war inside me. Thank God for his grace. But, I can let the Holy Spirit transform me to be more like Jesus. I can let God refine me and allow His light to shine through me! I can have faith and allow Jesus to shine though my actions!

Just as the body is dead without breath, so also faith is dead without good works ~ James 2:26