Many people ask me how to grow in faith. I ask them if they have any close friend or family member that they trust implicitly. Then I ask them why they trust this person. Their answers are variations on “Because I really know this person” to “I’ve known so-and-so for X period of time” to “I’ve seen them deal honestly with xyz” to “they’ve really stuck with me through thick and in”.
Growing in Faith shouldn’t be an abstract concept. God is ultimately a Divine Being with Whom we have the ultimate privileged of getting to know personally. He calls us sons and daughters, he calls us friends.
So to grow in our faith in God, we need to grow in our personal relationship with God. To this end, we should:
1) Spend regular time with God – in personal prayer, both talking to and listening to Him. The main way to grow in relationship with anyone is through spending time. And the more regular, the closer this has the potential to grow. When we learn not only about Him, but spend time with Him it enables us to Know Him. This will increase our faith.
2) Reading His Word – “Faith comes from hearing”. When we read the Word of God, so many positive things happen, one of which is that the Character of God is revealed to us. We get to know Him better through His Word.
3) Listening to teachings, testimonies: Again when we hear not only the Word of God, but also what He has done for our ancestors and for so many of of contemporaries, it grows our faith. Testimonies of what God has done for others can not only show us that He is alive and working even today but also that if He did it for them, He can do it for us!
4) Ask God for faith – this is sounds like a no-brainer but it’s something we often forget. God said, “Ask and you shall receive”. If you’re struggling with your faith in any area of your life, tell God about it. He will somehow provide you the faith you need. My own testimony of how I first came into a real relationship with God is when I heard a testimony at a retreat and it amazed me. I told the Lord, “I want faith like that”. I didn’t even know at the time I was making a prayer. But the Lord answered me and how!!
5) Through Obedience – When we obey God in small things, we are blessed with bigger things. The simple obedience in small (& big) matters like being kind, forgiving, not doing something out of alignment with God opens the doors to so much blessings that it will show us that God is real and it will grow our faith.
6) Through Service for others – When we give, we receive. God created us not only to hoard blessings but to be a channel of His love to all around us. Just like our human friendships will grow each time we do something for our friends, similarly our relationship with God grows when we obey Him and reach out to His other children.
7) Through trials – it is said that only in times of trials we find out who our real friends are. It is in trials too that we discover if we have faith or if we are lacking in some area. Perhaps God may even allow some trials into our life to show us that He is almighty and that we have nothing to fear. Every trial is an opportunity to grow in holiness and grow in faith in God.
Romans 12:3 tells us that “God has dealt to every man a measure of faith”. So each of us already have a seed of faith. We need to bring that faith to the Lord and GROW it by doing some/all of the above 7 things daily, until the seed becomes a plant and the plant develops deep roots and becomes a Strong Faith Tree that has much fruit for all.
Let us also remember, no matter where we are or what level we’re at, we ALL can improve and grow our faith. Wishing you a blessed time of growth in the Lord!
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Post 7/52*I’m doing 52 posts this year 2022: reflections/testimonies/book reviews/whatever God leads. Hopefully you’ll be blessed by something I share! X
