Faith, Features, Life Advice
10 Ways To Strengthen Your Faith In GOD
LET’S TALK FAITH, SHALL WE?
Faith is enough to overcome any challenge and life is quite the challenge, isn’t it? Just simply BEING A HUMAN BEING can be extremely exhausting and disheartening, at times. Oh, and let us not forget to mention the highs and the lows, endless mounds of trials, travesties and tribulations that make you want to quit and simply throw in the towel. Crawling and clawing your way through the dark valleys of life. The loss of a job. Falling ill and your health starts to deteriorate. The loss of a once in a lifetime opportunity. The unexpected and sudden loss of a loved one. Now I’m not saying (your) life is “all the way bad”, what I am articulating is that life is good, BUT it doesn’t always “feel good.”
Allow me to dig a little bit deeper.
There will be times when everything seems to be going your way and you’re feeling on top of the world and your faith is as strong as The Hand of God. Okay not that strong, but you catch my drift, right? Then there will be times where you have less than a mustard seed of faith-ultimately leaving you feeling weak, depleted, and simply inadequate. While roaming this Earth for 33 years, I’ve come to the realization and conclusion that FAITH FLUCTUATES. Or in other words, YOUR FAITH WILL FLUCTUATE!
You see, (your) faith ebbs and flows. My faith ebbs and flows. Just like no day is the same, your level of faith will not be the same every day. Some days your faith will be so strong that you’re declaring the victory over your life and dancing on top of the devil’s head. Other days, you’ll despair of life itself and begin to question God and yourself! Can I get an amen somebody?
Go. Grow. Glow.
Whether you’re just now walking with God or are a saved, sanctified, and seasoned Saint, God wants you to go and grow stronger in your faith. As a matter of fact, it pleases God when we grow deeper with Him, which in turn, increases and strengthens our level(s) of faith. DID YOU KNOW that it is scriptural to yearn and pray for our faith to grow. In Luke 17:5-6, Jesus’ disciples petitioned for The Lord to increase their faith.
The apostles said to the Lord, increase our faith (that trust and confidence that spring from our belief in God). And the Lord answered If you had faith (trust and confidence in God) even {so small} like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, Be pulled up by the roots, and be planted in the sea, and it would obey you. – Luke 17:5-6 AMPC
My brother, my sister, have you ever felt inadequate in your faith? Have you ever had to trust God when you were unable to trace Him? Have the circumstances in your life caused you to waver in your faith? If you’re like me and answered Yes! to any of these questions, know that you are NOT alone!
With God’s Guidance, we have composed a list of 10 applicable ways to GO, GROW, AND GLOW in your faith. Check them out below!
Your 10 Faith Tools:
1. Have Child-like faith.
The faith of a child is innocent, isn’t it? You ever notice how you can tell, show or even promise a child something and they just believe whatever it is that you told them. It doesn’t matter how ridiculous it sounds or how far-fetched it may be, the child places their utmost trust in you and believes in whatever it is that you say to be true. Now having child-like faith as an adult doesn’t mean that your ignorant, foolish or uneducated, it’s actually the complete opposite.
God designed our brain and wants us to use it! Having faith like a child means viewing life through the lenses of a child. Full of wonder, awe, emotion, love, gratitude, and imagination. It is because of our limited logic, skepticisms, life experiences and OUR CARNALITY overall that makes it quite daunting for us to trust God with our whole heart, mind, will, and emotions like a child.
2. Make Prayer a Priority
More times than not we only run to The Father to pray when it’s convenient for us or we really need something from God, but as a believer of God and follower of Jesus Christ this should not be. Too often we’ve made prayer an option, a last resort when in all actuality it should be a lifestyle. Prayer should be a part of our everyday life and walk with God. DID YOU KNOW that while here on Earth, prayer is the #1 direct communication line that allows us full and complete access to Our Heavenly Father.
For prayer is the only way to welcome and enter into the very presence of God in and around your life. Your Father is awaiting your call so that he can answer. Why? Because He is The Answer. Beloved, God wants us to “come boldly unto the Throne of Grace and obtain mercy. Hebrews 4:16
3. WAIT ON THE LORD
If your heart’s desire is to increase your faith understand that patience is not only the key, but the virtue as well. Keep in mind that God’s ways are not our ways neither are God’s thoughts our thoughts and the same goes for His Timing. God’s every move is what I like to call spiritually strategic. He doesn’t move when we say move and He doesn’t ask how high when we say JUMP!
We live in a world where we yearn for instant gratification, but developing and exercising patience is easier said than done. A wise 3-year-old toddler (yes, you read that right) once said that Patience means waiting well – and well my edges and baby hairs alike have been snatcheth ever since!
I know that waiting can be burdensome at times and doesn’t necessarily fit into your schedule BUT remember waiting on God is worth the wait/weight.
Wait for and confidently expect the Lord;
Be strong and let your heart take courage;
Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.- Psalm 27:14 AMP
4. Learn To Give God The Glory He Deserves
When you praise God, you please God! Simple as that. Learning how to give God the glory, praise, and admiration He deserves is extremely beneficial and helps to uplift you when you are downcast in spirit. Praising God allows you to perceive God through a spiritual gaze so that you may receive the many blessings Your Father has in store for you. Giving God the glory through the spirit of praise breaks chains, destroys yokes, and opens doors.
5. SPEAK LIFE OVER YOUR LIFE
By speaking life and not death over your life, everyday circumstances and situations are also a great way to strengthen your faith in God. Speaking life also helps speak things into existence. This is bigger than positive words of affirmation my friend. According to Proverbs 18:21 AMP, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.”
Beloved, what words have you been speaking over the precious life God has afforded you? Are the words you speak propelling you toward your destiny or pushing you down deeper into an abyss of stress, worry, anxiety, and trouble? Are the words you speak helping you or harming you? Remember, be it harmful or helpful, YOUR WORDS MUST OBEY WHAT YOU SAY!
6. Study God’s Word
Reading the Bible and studying God’s Word is another great way to draw closer to Him. The Bible is God’s means of communicating His knowledge. As you study, internalize, absorb, memorize, meditate, and apply biblical principles in your life, your faith will grow stronger.
In order for us to know God and grow in Him we as His Children must humble ourselves by submitting and yielding to His Teachings which come directly from The Word Of God. You see The Bible is another way that God speaks to us. The problem that we have is that we do not study His word so when the trials and tests of life come we don’t know The Answer.
7. All YOU Need Is A Little Faith
Understand that God doesn’t require nor does He expect us to have “a whole lot of faith.” All you really need is a mustard seed. You don’t need grandoise or mountain sized faith to move the many mountains in your life! What I love about God is that He knows that because of our carnality and physicality we are limited in our thinking and in our believing. I recently stumbled upon some interesting facts that I believe can really help you in your belief.
Jesus knew just like His disciples that at times we would lack faith or have little to no faith at all. Jesus says that faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains.
8. Help Spread The Good News
As disciples, it is our duty to help spread God’s Infallible Word. Not only are we disciples, but we are also messengers that God put here on Earth for such a time as this to help spread the Gospel and lead others down the path toward eternal life. Being a messenger will also help you spread God’s Goodness by sharing with others your personal testimony of how God has never left you nor forsaken you. For we are messengers Of God sent on assignment to snatch souls out of the enemy’s hands! Shout amen!
9. Join a local church or Christian community
Having a strong Christian support system is of paramount importance. It is important to not forsake the fellowship and assembly of others because at the end of the day life is a faith walk, not a cake walk. You and I need Godly friendships and relationships that will ultimately help us go, grow, and glow in our faith. By fellowshipping with others we are able to sharpen each other’s faith. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens [and influences] another [through discussion]. – Proverbs 27:17 AMP
10. Forgive In Order To Thrive And Live
I admit this one really got to me. As a person who tends to hold grudges from time to me showcasing forgiveness has always been challenging for me. Until I realized how much harm harboring unforgiveness, strife, anger, bitterness and resentment does to one’s mind, heart, will, and emotions.
By perpetually nursing and rehearsing these ungodly feelings, thoughts, memories and emotions life becomes a viscous spin cycle of hurt, anger, pain, and trauma. Unfortunately Jesus cannot reside in the ventricles and chambers of our heart if it doesn’t “feel like home.” Understand that forgiveness is NOT forgetfulness. When you forgive someone or something you don’t develop amnesia as if “it” never happened. True forgiveness is letting go of what was and hope and have faith in God for what He has in store next! You may even have continually forgive someone or something over and over and over again until you don’t “feel that feeling like you used to.” Easier said than done, trust me I know!
With the help of God and wooing of The Holy Spirit, release whatever and whoever may have hurt you so that you can not just survive, but thrive and live!
God’s Dearly BELOVED, just like anything in life, growing in your faith is a journey- a never-ending process. You will never fully arrive at the peak of your faith because there will always be a higher height, degree or new level of faith for you to reach, obtain, and attain. You and I must also come to the realization that just because we are Christians and God’s Precious Children, you and I will never be able to escape the wiles of this sinful world and because of this we will endure many hardships on this voyage called life.
Selah.
“ Faith is not the absence of doubt; it is continuing to follow Jesus in the midst of doubt.” – J.D. Greear
