How to Have Faith
Photo by Valicity G.
There are millions of Christians living in America today and many of them seem to have the same question: how do I have faith?
Asking this question doesn’t mean you’re weak—honestly—it shows how strong you truly are. To be able to recognize room for growth and to take the necessary steps in achieving this growth takes a certain strength. But before I can tell you how to have faith, you must understand what faith is.
Let’s reference the scripture Hebrews 11:1 NIV “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”
This is probably the best and most basic definition of faith. The key phrase here is ‘what we do not see’. The foundation of faith is focusing on what’s not right in front of us. It’s easy to have faith in getting a new job when you have interviews lined up and managers calling you every other day. But how can you have faith in getting a new job when your application was just rejected and so far, no one has called you back for an interview?
That is where faith comes in—some could argue, that is the only time faith plays a part in the scenario.
Because you cannot see success, it takes faith to have it manifest from your hopes and dreams and (through the power of God) become a reality. Now, that isn’t to say that you can’t have faith just because something is easy to see or guaranteed for you. Just because a job has been offered to you doesn’t mean there is no opportunity for you to have faith in getting it. That is the time for your faith to be expanded into other areas. Now you can have faith that you will get a good schedule and fair pay. Now you can have faith that you will get along with your co-workers and get a promotion faster than expected. There is always an opportunity for faith.
Now let’s try to answer the question, how do you have faith?
You have faith by following the scripture Hebrews 11:1. Be confident in the things you hope for. Whatever it is you are praying about right now; good health, a new job, a spouse—be confident that the Lord hears you and will answer soon, rest assured that, though you do not see it now, you know the things in your heart will be delivered unto you.
But HOW? Right? HOW do you do this?
As someone who used to struggle with faith, I can tell you that how? is a question I nearly pulled my hair out over.
How do I have confidence in getting a spouse when I’m this old and single?
How do I believe I will finally get hired after being unemployed for so many years?
How do I rest assured in my healing when my health is getting worse and worse?
These are questions that drown and choke your faith, but they are questions that we all have. The answer is simple; just believe.
Believe and do not doubt.
Believe and do not worry.
Believe and do not dwell on your issue.
It sounds so simple it’s almost hard to trust that this is the answer. Let me give you some scriptures to back this up.
In Mark 5:36 NIV Jesus tells Jairus the following; “…Don’t be afraid; just believe.”
In this story Jesus is talking to a man whose daughter had just passed away, but the message in His words are still relevant to us today. No matter what you are facing, do not be afraid of the outcome or the odds, just believe. If Jairus could believe in the miraculous healing power of Christ even when his daughter was very much dead, how much more can we believe in something simpler like getting a job or getting married?
No matter the obstacle, God is always bigger.
Remember the verse from James 1:6 NIV “But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
Paul is telling us to ask without doubting. Don’t turn your back on your prayers, if that is the case then why even bother praying? Believing might sound easier said than done when you’re between a rock and a hard place but think of it this way. Why don’t you believe?
Why would you focus on the negative instead of the positive? What do you get out of doubting and worrying—other than a headache?
The Bible tells us to think on good things in Philippians 4:8 NIV “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Stop thinking about things that bring on worry or doubt. These kinds of thoughts are exactly what hinders faith. I’m not saying there won’t be times where it becomes hard to hold on, I’m saying don’t give in to the temptation to just throw in the towel. It is so easy to change your mind, to take the easy route and stop believing, or start doing things your own way. But its faith that makes our relationship with God worth it.
It is faith that brings us closer to our dreams and faith that leads us closer to God. If you think you don’t already have it, then you’re wrong because it takes faith to even believe in God. It takes faith to whisper a prayer because it is faith that leads you to believe there is a God who hears that prayer and faith to believe that He will answer your prayer. You already have faith, just don’t let it go. Never give up. NEVER give up.