Three Ways to Increase Your Faith

An icon of a Christian Cross. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How do you increase your faith? I used to struggle with this as a young Christian. But through the years I’ve learned at least three simple ways to help build and increase your faith: 

1. Read the Word

2. Heed the Word

James 1:22-24 (NKJV) offers a second way to increase your faith: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. What I see in the mirror when I first wake up is not the most beautiful sight. Obviously I see there is work to do and makeup to apply if I want to add to my appearance.

If we fail to heed what we’re reading, and ignore what God is telling us, then our faith grows stagnant. It took faith for us to become children of God in the first place. In order to grow and increase our faith, we need to use that “measure” of faith God gives to everyone and build on it.

3. Test the Word

There’s a difference in “testing” God by “contesting” Him (seeing how far God’s patience will go with your own self will) and “testing,” or proving God’s Word is true. Malachi 3:9-11 (NIV) offers one practical way God says we can prove Him faithful to His Word about tithing and being good stewards of the things He has give us:  Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.”  As you “test” or act on what God says and experience God’s blessing, your faith grows.

The process of testing the measure of faith you have may involve trials and difficulties. How can you increase your faith in those circumstances? Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:2-3, NIV).

A Personal Example

The first time my husband and I had to admit we were  ”financially challenged,” we had some choices to make. The biggest one was, would we trust God and the promises we had read in His Word? When a new difficulty developed, we faced the same choices. If we chose to believe God, our faith grew a little more. And when the really big crises erupted, like unemployment, parenting, and marriage challenges, our faith was stretched even more. But each time as we looked back and saw the tracks of God’s faithfulness, that He truly had kept His Word, we came to understand the true meaning of “perseverance.” Trusting Him with smaller problems has built our faith to believe Him for the harder issues. And yet there are still times when I feel more like a baby in my faith than a giant. It’s always in need of growing.

My Prayer for You

Lord Jesus, increase our faith as we learn to depend on You and trust you more and more. Help us to crave Your Word: to read it, to heed it, and to test it, so it can truly become part of our lives. We long to be doers and not just hearers. Lord we desperately need more of You and less of ourselves. Thank You for Your faithfulness in always keeping Your Word.

Day-votedly Yours,

Rebecca

What Other Ways Can You Add to Increase Your Faith?

What other ways would you add that help increase our faith? How has God increased yours? Would you share your comments below? Your words might encourage someone today! You will not be hounded, prodded, or automatically added to my mailing list if you do so. Feel free to email this Christian blog to someone or to re-post on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media, using the buttons below. You can sign up for my blog/newsletter and updates at the top of this website page/sidebar. Your e-mail address will never be sold or given to anyone!

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