Boosting Your Faith: 3 Practical Steps

Faith is defined by dictionary.com as "confidence in a person or thing." When we are talking about the Christian faith, we are putting our faith in God (the person) and the Bible (the thing). Confidence is a term that can be increased or decreased like a thermostat. We can turn a thermostat in our home up to give us more heat. Likewise, if someone turns the thermostat down, the temperature will change accordingly. Placing our confidence in a person or a thing can begin minimally with the goal of increasing that confidence over time. 

In the parable of the persistent widow found in Luke 8:1-8, Jesus tells the story of a woman who will not give up. It's about prayer and faith. The woman kept going to a judge to seek justice against her adversary. At first, he refused, but finally relented because of the woman's persistence. Jesus comments that "his chosen ones" also need to pray to Him with the same persistence and fervor. This type of prayer demonstrates great faith. 

The conclusion Jesus gives should concern all of us. He says, "However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" 

Is it going to become so difficult on earth that people struggle to have faith in God and His word?! While it is difficult to measure someone's subjective faith, current trends are showing declines in church attendance, and those self-identifying as "practicing Christians." These key metrics could indicate a weakening in our faith. How do we keep our faith strong? Here are 3 practical steps from scripture.

1. Read the Word of God Regularly - "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ." (Romans 10:17) Have a regular plan to read, meditate, and study the Bible, God's word. This practice will increase your faith. 
2. Cultivate your faith - No matter how small your faith is today, it can still be put into practice and grow. Jesus tells his apostles in Matthew 17:20-21, "...I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Don't discredit a small amount of faith. We all had to start somewhere. Cultivate your faith by putting it into practice and watching it grow. 
3. Find the Faith of a Child - When Jesus was rebuked by his disciples for holding babies brought to him, he responded by calling a child over and saying, "...unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Luke 18:15-17; Matthew 18:3) One of the greatest attributes of a child is their faith. They believe everything they are told. Their innocence is still intact and they have no reason not to believe. Believe the words of God and you'll find yourself nearing the kingdom of heaven. 

May Jesus find faith on the earth when He returns. May those who are called Christians be moving mountains with child-like faith as they spend time reading and meditating on God's Word. May your faith increase as you become more sure of what you hope for and certain of what you don't see. (Hebrews 11:1)