Articles
Growing Our Faith
Life throws us some curve balls, doesn't it? And like the batter in a baseball game, sometimes we swing and miss because of it. But we also more often learn from such experiences, and if you look at just about anything life can throw at you, somewhere in there, God is opening some type of door for us. If I look back on the bad times, perilous times of sickness and injury, job issues, handling problems with my kids, whatever, God always had room in them to grow my faith. I could either do that, or let them tear me down.
It's easy in good times to relax and just go with the flow. In all other times, it's often a challenge. Peter tells us, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 3:18) This can happen through study, through our re-dedication to Him and during times we are making an extra effort, but it can certainly come as a result of trials and troubles when God sees us through them. (Read James Ch1)
In Luke 17:5, Jesus' Apostles asked Him to "Increase our faith". We need to ask that daily too, so that in Him, we may become complete. Paul says when we reach completeness, that which has been incomplete disappears. (1 Cor 13:10).
As we look for the good in what we otherwise call bad, and try to seek to grow out of what we had rather not have to struggle with to begin with, we creep further away from the incomplete, and inch more and more toward being complete. We become more like Jesus to put it another way.
I pray today, whatever you are facing, health issues, recovery from injury or surgery, marital problems, child problems, other relationship issues, job difficulties, financial instability, whatever no matter how slight or severe, that you seek to grow your faith, and reach out more and more to let God handle it, and lift you up in the process. Some of the best growing we will ever accomplish comes out of some of our greatest trials. Let us endure with God's help, and be victorious.
