Ways to Grow in Your Faith
I don’t want anyone to be misled by the title of this article—thinking about it now, I suppose I should have changed it to something more appropriate, but this is what we’re stuck with. What I mean is, I don’t want anyone to see this title and think that I’ve got a checklist of things you can do to grow in your faith.
First of all, faith is not something you can grow by doing things.
Despite what some may tell you, doing things includes prayer, fasting, and reading your Bible. Before you get upset and take your anger out in the comments section—hear me out. You can read your Bible every day, pray an hour every morning and night, and fast for 30 days and still have no faith. Christianity is not about how much you put in the offering basket, how long you spent in prayer versus the next Christian, or that one time you sang Amazing Grace until your throat was raw.
Understand this fact right now; Christianity is not doing—it is done.
What you are praying for right now, your healing, your miracle child, your promotion at work, its already been done for you on the Cross at Calvary over 2000 years ago. Jesus is our completed and finished work; any prayer you’re about to pray was answered at the Cross. So, stop thinking there’s something that needs to be done to get your breakthrough and simply start believing its already here.
Some of you might still be scratching your head, saying, ok so I don’t need to do anything … but what do I do?? How do I believe? I can’t just suddenly stop worrying and doubting out of nowhere, Vay!
Some Believers have to take baby steps into their faith—I was one of them! I used to worry so much and doubt everything, I gave myself headaches over the smallest prayer request. Today, I hand everything over to Jesus and walk away with a smile on my face. When you get tired of being worried and anxious, you stop worrying. This might sound like an impossible achievement for some of you, but I know there are a few Christians reading with a smile on their face because they know exactly what I’m talking about.
My mother used to say it this way; when you get sick and tired of being sick and tired, you do something about it.
If you’re still scratching your head about what to do, don’t worry, you will eventually learn to rest in God’s grace; I would highly recommend taking a look at one of my articles—Stop Working for Your Blessings. Until you reach this area of rest, I want to share a few things with you to help improve your relationship with God. The reason I’m so focused on your relationship is because the closer you get to Christ, your Father, the more your faith will grow. When you are constantly in the presence of the Lord, your faith will have no choice but to grow, your trust will grow, your dependence on Him will grow. Before you know it, you’ll be sharing your testimony of faith with others—but it all starts by cultivating your relationship with Jesus Christ.
Meditate
By meditation, I don’t mean that you should light candles and sit with your legs folded chanting your favorite scripture. I mean that you should memorize this scripture below and pray on it, think on it, even say it aloud whenever you can—under your breath, whispered in the quiet when you’re alone, or out loud during your prayer time. Keep this scripture on your mind, day and night.
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
That scripture is from Hebrews 11:1 NIV and it’s the focal point of this article because you cannot improve, grow, or cultivate something you do not understand. Once you realize what faith is—once you understand that there is more to faith than simply hoping and wishing really hard that things will turn out ok—then you will begin to grow.
Part of faith is confidence. Be confident that God hears you when you pray, even though He may be silent.
Part of faith is hope. Have a positive outlook on your situation because you know that God hears your prayers.
Part of faith is assurance. Know that the Lord sees what you cannot see. Just because you don’t see how you can be healed when the doctors have told you you’ve got a month to live, doesn’t mean God cannot extend his Hand and breathe life back into your failing organs right this moment.
The last thing I want to leave you with is your speech. Watch what you are saying. If you’re trying to grow in your faith, stop speaking so much negativity over your life! Stop calling yourself a worry wart or a doubting Thomas. Call yourself a child of the Most High God! Say you see your healing, even when you feel terrible—especially when you feel terrible! Speak prosperity over yourself whenever you feel worried over your next job interview. Make plans for a honeymoon, despite being unmarried at the moment. Don’t wait around for miracles to happen and then apply faith. Apply faith now and miracles will follow.
Proverbs 18:21 NIV says, The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
Be careful of what you allow to come out of your mouth. Your words have power—you can either use it to produce life or death—faith or failure.